Press Release, 18 January 2026

Photo by Valeria Rait

Yabloko Party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov addressed Oleg Baranov, the head of the Moscow Depratment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, demanding an investigation into an act of vandalism, requesting video footage from nearby CCTV cameras and opening a criminal case under Article 214 (vandalism) of the Russian Criminal Code. The urgent appeal was sent to the Moscow interior in connection with the destruction in Moscow of the memorial plaque to journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered 20 years ago.

“This act of vandalism is a slap in the face to all those for whom Anna Politkovskaya’s name remains a symbol of honesty, courage and resistance to lawlessness. The destruction of memorial signs is an attempt to erase our shared history crossing out inconvenient people from it. We will not allow this to happen,” Nikolai Rybakov emphasised.

A similar demand for an investigation was voiced by Moscow Yabloko – a statement from the Bureau of the Moscow branch of Yabloko was published on the evening of 18 January:

“We believe the vandals’ actions represent a direct consequence of the atmosphere of searching for ‘enemies’ and stigmatising dissent. The destruction of Anna Politkovskaya’s memorial plaque is a direct result of this atmosphere.”

It should be noted that on 18 January 2026, unidentified individuals destroyed the memorial plaque installed in memory of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who had lived and was murdered at building 8/12 on Lesnaya Street in Moscow on 7 October 2006. The memorial plaque was installed on the building on 7 October 2013.

Every year on 7 October in Moscow, Yabloko party members, journalists and human rights defenders gather at this building to honour Anna Politkovskaya’s memory.