Press Release, 9.09.2026

Photo: Roman Morozov / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

Yabloko representatives in the Kaliningrad Region have received messages threatening the party’s candidates for the regional Legislative Assembly, Roman Morozov and Dmitry Mamayev.

An unidentified sender demanded that the candidates be withdrawn, accompanying the demand with a threat:

“If you are for people’s lives, then stand up for the lives of your own people. Withdraw R and D. Why sacrifice them for nothing? A well-wisher.”

As is clear from the message, that “R and D” refers to the two remaining Yabloko single-mandate candidates for the Legislative Assembly elections, Roman Morozov and Dmitry Mamayev. Morozov is also the party’s candidate for the State Duma for Central single-mandate constituency No. 100.

Yabloko regards the message as a threat to the candidates’ lives and an attempt to force the party to withdraw them from the elections.

Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov has sent an appeal to Russia’s Interior Minister, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, demanding that an inquiry be carried out to identify the author of the messages and that measures be taken to ensure the candidates’ safety.

It should be noted that on 28 August, the Kaliningrad Regional Court granted a claim filed by the regional branch of the Communists of Russia party and revoked the registration of Yabloko’s list for the Kaliningrad Region Legislative Assembly elections. The party has appealed the ruling. Morozov and Mamayev have continued to take part in the elections as single-mandate candidates.

This is not the first case of threats against Yabloko candidates during the current election campaign.

In early August, Kirill Rumyantsev, Deputy Chair of Saratov Yabloko and the party’s State Duma candidate for the Balashov single-mandate constituency, also began receiving death threats and demands to withdraw his candidacy on social media.

Rumyantsev filed a report with the police. Nikolai Rybakov, for his part, sent an urgent appeal to Vladimir Kolokoltsev asking him to personally oversee the investigation.

In addition, during the current election campaign, four Yabloko single-mandate candidates nationwide have withdrawn from the elections owing to pressure and threats.