Press Release, 7.10.2025

Photo: Anna Shteinbakh / Photo by the regional branch of Yabloko

Anna Shteinbakh, 30, has become the new Chair of the Yabloko party’s regional branch in Kaliningrad. Anna’s colleagues elected her by a majority vote at the general meeting of the regional branch, which took place past week. As head of the Kaliningrad office, Anna Shteinbakh replaced Alexander Lisovsky, who had chaired the branch in previous years.

Anna is a transport systems engineer by her background and a political activist by vocation. She joined the Yabloko party back in 2020 and immediately proved herself to be an energetic party member, full of enthusiasm and democratic ambitions. Then and now, Anna focuses on the resource potential of information and collective work, whilst remaining the youngest Yabloko member in the region.

“The trust my senior colleagues have placed in me is invaluable,” Anna Shteinbakh emphasises. “I know that for many, one of the key resources in political struggle can be material reserves. But I also know that one cannot underestimate the power of information, dialogue, and developing platforms for discussions. In this sense, in the position of a Chairperson, I would like to develop content creation. It can be diverse: educational, political, and even local history. But the main task remains the upcoming municipal elections in 2026. Building these plans today is especially pleasant, knowing what a fine Yabloko team has formed in our region, how people relate to collaborative work, how they support and inspire each other.”

Alexander Lisovsky, who has now passed the baton to Anna Shteinbakh, presented a report at the branch’s general meeting on his work as Chairman from 2022 to 2025. In particular, he emphasised that special attention was paid to organisational development and the party’s public activities. This work began with the opening in 2022 of Yabloko’s public office, which had not functioned for a long time. Today this office is a gathering point and place of attraction for both supporters and all concerned citizens. Yabloko actions of writing letters to political prisoners are held here monthly (over three years, Kaliningrad residents have written more than 850 letters to political prisoners).

In addition, a human rights reception regularly operates at the Yabloko office, where lawyers from the party’s core membership provide free consultations to citizens on human rights issues, changes in Russian legislation, the work of government bodies and many others. A book club and local history programme “Baltic Yabloko” on local toponymy are also organised here — both projects have long become an important part of Kaliningrad residents’ leisure time. As, incidentally, have the community clean-ups, excursions and educational events that Yabloko conducts on a regular basis.

Photo: Anna Shteinbakh (centre), Valentina Balashova, and Alexander Lisovsky / Photo by the regional branch of Yabloko

Political activities and ensuring Yabloko’s information presence in the media were another stage of Lisovsky’s work as Chairman. The report shows not only of “supplying” content for media and the party’s federal network of media resources, but also of creating Yabloko’s own pages on 2GIS and Yandex.Maps services. Thanks to this, anyone who wants to receive a consultation or attend an event organised here can now easily find the party office. In parallel, the Yabloko branch also carried out extensive work with citizens, sending dozens of appeals to relevant departments on issues of protecting historical heritage, protesting on installing a bust of Stalin, the status of teachers, and problems at the “Young Mother” centre.

Participation in elections at all levels, including the 2024 gubernatorial campaign, became a key point of Alexander Lisovsky’s programme as Chairman. In parallel, he ensured interaction between Yabloko and members of precinct electoral commissions, as well as full support for Anna Shteinbakh’s campaign to participate in municipal elections.

“The Kaliningrad branch continues active work to protect citizens’ rights, preserve historical heritage and strengthen political alternatives in the region,” Alexander Lisovsky summed up his report. “However, I cannot help but speak about the main thing — the people who over the past three years have become a true team. I see this as my achievement, but the interest and enthusiasm with which party members three years ago responded to my call to create a truly warm, safe, transparent and productive atmosphere — this is everyone’s achievement. Everything worked out thanks to you, thanks to us, thanks to Yabloko and our teamwork.”

It should be emphasised that after presenting the report, Alexander Lisovsky was elected to the Federal Council of the Yabloko party. Concluding the regional branch’s general meeting, he thanked colleagues for their trust and declared his intention to “continue representing the interests of Kaliningrad Yabloko members”.