TULA, February 2. /TASS/. The active participation of everyday citizens of Russia in efforts to raise money and collect supplies for troops serving on the frontline is a sign of national unity and social cohesion as well as a guarantee of victory, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with activists attending the Everything for Victory forum in Tula.

After hearing that the All-Russia People's Front had raised 11 bln rubles ($120.8 mln) for such purposes in the Irkutsk Region alone over the past 18 months, the president said: "It’s not so much about the amount, but about the fact that people chip in as much money as they can afford, even if it’s just 1,000 rubles ($11). They are chipping in to support our guys, who are risking their lives."

"This is evidence of unity in Russian society, that is, the national unity of Russia as a multifaceted, multi-religious and multi-ethnic country," the president stressed. "This makes it clear that people care about the country’s future, and it’s just amazing to see." "There is something in it that firmly guarantees Russia’s victory," the head of state added.

Putin noted that government decisions on enhancing support for the troops "were being made based on the wishes that the guys fighting on the frontline had expressed." "This is a natural response to the needs of the people who are doing the fighting," he added.