For the lucky few

"THIS MESSAGE (MATERIAL) IS CREATED AND (OR) DISTRIBUTED BY A FOREIGN MASS MEDIA PERFORMING THE FUNCTION OF A FOREIGN AGENT, AND (OR) A RUSSIAN LEGAL ENTITY PEFORMING THE FUNCTIONS OF A FOREIGN AGENT," it says.

In Stalin's days, which are very much in Russia's living memory, such a designation would have led to a quick show trial and, for the lucky few, a bullet in the back of the head. The unfortunate would have been shipped off to a slow death among millions of other victims of Soviet purges.

[CNN.]

Does "for" in for the lucky few mean "except"?