Press Release, 15.09.2026

Photo: Top row: Konstantin Kiselyov, Vladimir Sevostyanov, Vladimir Sobyanin.
Bottom row: Shana Ogney, Vladimir Sobyanin, Alexander Kudelkin, Vladimir Sevostyanov

In Sverdlovsk Region, three Yabloko candidates for the State Duma and four Yabloko candidates for single-mandate constituencies in the regional Legislative Assembly are now at risk of being removed from the elections. The police have filed appeals against district court rulings in their administrative cases, seeking harsher penalties. The Sverdlovsk Regional Court has scheduled the appeals for hearing on 15 and 16 September — just days before voting begins.

The State Duma candidates are Konstantin Kiselyov, Sverdlovsky Constituency No. 169, Vladimir Sevostyanov, Asbestovsky Constituency No. 173, and Vladimir Sobyanin, Serovsky Constituency No. 175.

Past week, the candidates were held administratively liable under Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences — for “displaying extremist symbols” over old social media posts. Konstantin Kiselyov and Shana Ogney were fined 2,000 roubles each. Alexander Kudelkin received 10 days of administrative arrest on 9 September, Vladimir Sobyanin received 12 days on 11 September, and Vladimir Sevostyanov also received 12 days on 12 September. While the rulings have not yet come into legal force, the candidates remain in the elections.

The purpose of these urgent proceedings is to secure the removal of the Yabloko candidates from the elections. If the regional court upholds the rulings or imposes harsher penalties, they will come into legal force immediately. This will strip the candidates of their right to stand for election and give the constituency electoral commissions grounds to annul their registration.

The hearing in Kiselyov’s case has been scheduled for today, 15 September, at 16:30. Tomorrow, 16 September, the court will hear Sevostyanov’s case at 9:30 and Sobyanin’s at 10:00.

“There was hope that they wouldn’t manage to hold the regional court hearing in time, and that the ruling under the administrative article wouldn’t come into force,” Konstantin Kiselyov wrote. According to him, he and his lawyer had intended to file their appeal on the last permitted day — 21 September, after voting had already taken place. However, he received a call today from the regional court informing him of the police appeal and of a hearing scheduled for that same day.

Four Yabloko candidates for single-mandate constituencies in the Sverdlovsk Regional Legislative Assembly are at risk of removal:

Vladimir Sevostyanov — Constituency No. 2;
Alexander Kudelkin — Constituency No. 6;
Vladimir Sobyanin — Constituency No. 8;
Shana Ogney — Constituency No. 18.

Ogney’s case is scheduled for hearing today, 15 September, at 16:00, and Kudelkin’s tomorrow, 16 September, at 10:30.

It should be noted that Yabloko’s list for the Sverdlovsk Regional Legislative Assembly election was removed from the elections following a claim by the LDPR. As of today, 18 Yabloko candidates in single-mandate constituencies remain in the campaign.