Press Release, 7.09.2025

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov with candidate for Pskov City Duma in district No. 3 Andrei Tsatsenko during door-to-door campaining in Pskov

On 2 and 3 September, Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov, together with head of the party Analytical Centre Ivan Bolshakov and head of the party staff Yevgenia Vlasova, visited the Pskov Region on a working trip. The main purpose of the trip was to support candidates from Pskov Yabloko before the upcoming municipal elections, in which 48 of Yabloko candidates are registered on party lists and 32 candidates in single-mandate constituencies.

On the first day of the visit, Nikolai Rybakov gave interviews on radio and different local media, in which he spoke about the candidates of the party, the importance of local self-government, the specifics of the Pskov region, the reasons for the region’s demographic decline, and problems in the education and healthcare systems. In particular, the Yabloko leader noted on PLN FM radio that the healthcare situation in Pskov Region can be assessed as “critical”.

“Governor Mikhail Vedernikov announced in June 2025 that the shortage of medical workers in the region amounts to more than 550 people — 289 doctors and 258 paramedical staff. At the same time, since 2000, half the hospitals in the region have ceased operating: there were 86, and now there are 40 left. I often hear from my opponents on air that this is simply restructuring of the sector. But that’s not the case, because the number of hospital beds has also decreased by 45%, almost by half. And then they say: ‘It’s surprising that people are leaving our region,'” Rybakov noted.

According to Rybakov, the problem lies precisely in state priorities. Instead of healthcare, education and science, the main thing for the Russian authorities today is developing the military-industrial complex.

After the interview, together with Pskov Yabloko Chairman Artur Gaiduk and his deputy Yana Ivanova, the Yabloko delegation laid flowers at the Foundation Stone in the square in front of Mironositskoye Cemetery, honouring the memory of victims of the Stalin’s Great Terror.

Then Nikolai Rybakov and his colleagues travelled to the Lesopilka animal shelter. The politician met with shelter director Vera Korotkova, volunteers and their charges, and delivered food and wood litter for the animals.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov, Yevgenia Vlasova, Ivan Bolshakov, Artur Gaiduk and Anton Kostik at the Lesopilka animal shelter with its director Vera Korotkova

The shelter always houses between 80 and 100 dogs and cats, which are fed, treated, sterilised and rehomed there. Additionally, the shelter regularly holds training sessions for dogs with professional trainers, as well as events: volunteer Saturdays, excursions, “animal protection lessons” and exhibitions of shelter animals. The shelter has existed since 2009 and survives exclusively through volunteer help and donations.

It should be noted that Nikolai Rybakov has repeatedly spoken against the law permitting the killing of stray animals. In his opinion, funding and functions for catching and housing dogs should be transferred to animal protection NGOs.

In the second half of the day, Rybakov met with candidate for Pskov City Duma in district No. 3 Andrei Tsatsenko. Together they campained in the district, spoke with residents and distributed campaign newspapers.

The day concluded with a meeting with the team at the Pskov Yabloko office. Nikolai Rybakov expressed words of support for his colleague, party Deputy Chairman Lev Shlosberg, who has been under house arrest since 11 June on charges of repeated “discrediting of the army”.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov, Ivan Bolshakov, and Yevgenia Vlasova with the Pskov Yabloko team

The second day was devoted to trips to districts and meetings with Yabloko candidates.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov with candidate for Velikiye Luki Municipal District Assembly Yuri Birulya and can

didate for Kunya Municipal District Assembly Lidia Averyanova at a meeting in Novosokolniki

In Ostrov, Nikolai Rybakov and his colleagues visited the Roerich Family House, where the famous artist Nikolai Roerich came to visit his grandmother in his childhood. The tour for guests was conducted by Dmitry Revyakin, reference keeper of the travelling exhibitions department of the Roerich Centre-Museum. He explained that together with a team of like-minded people, he helps revive the old estate in the city of Ostrov, Pskov Region, connected with the Kalashnikov merchant family and the childhood of artist Nikolai Roerich. In 2018, the authorities planned to demolish the house, but in 2020 activists bought it and began restoring the estate. In future, Nikolai Roerich’s House in Ostrov should become a new cultural centre for residents and visitors to the Pskov region.

Photo: Yabloko delegation at the Roerich House in Ostrov district with Dmitry Revyakin

The party leader discussed local problems with Artur Gaiduk’s assistant in the Ostrov district – Dmitry Shemetov, candidate for the District Assembly.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov and Ivan Bolshakov with candidates for deputies of Pustoshka Municipal District Assembly Svetlana Filippova and Svetlana Vasilkova in Pustoshka

In Novosokolniki, the party leader spoke with Yabloko candidates for the local district assembly Yelena Semenova, Irina Ershova and Maria Mizina. They discussed problems at Novosokolniki Secondary School, where Irina Ershova works as a teacher and is also a current district deputy. The school has long needed major repairs, and the team is working to get it included in the federal programme. They also touched on the fate of the small Krasnopolyanskaya School, which Irina Ershova and her colleague Yelena Semenova are also working on with support from Artur Gaiduk. The meeting was also joined by candidate for Kunya District Assembly Lidia Averyanova and candidate for Velikiye Luki District Assembly Yuri Birulya.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov, Ivan Bolshakov, Yevgenia Vlasova, and Artur Gaiduk with candidates for Pustoshka Municipal District Assembly Svetlana Vasilkova, Svetlana Filippova, Viktor Maslov and candidate for Sebezh Municipal District Assembly Vladimir Kholin at a meeting in Pustoshka

In Pustoshka, Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov and Pskov Yabloko leader Artur Gaiduk, together with fellow party members, laid flowers at the Children of War monument in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack on a Beslan school. The memorial event was attended by Yabloko candidates for deputies of Pustoshka District Assembly Svetlana Vasilkova, Svetlana Filippova and Viktor Maslov, as well as candidate for deputy of Sebezh Municipal District Assembly Vladimir Kholin.