Press Release, 30.01.2026

Photo: Marina Zheleznyakova / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

The regional branch of Yabloko in the Maritime Territory held a general meeting at which participants elected Marina Zheleznyakova as the new Chair of the branch. Marina Zheleznyakova has been a party member since 2018 and since 2019 had held the post of Deputy Chair of the branch. Zheleznyakova is well known in the region as one of the most prominent activists defending citizens’ rights. In the past two years she was subjected to criminal prosecution in a political case and was fined a record high amount by Russian judicial standards of 2 million roubles. This, however, did not prevent her colleagues from unanimously electing Zheleznyakova as the new Chair of the regional branch, thus, expressing their absolute support for her.

It should be noted that in 2021, a search was carried out in Marina Zheleznyakova’s flat in Vladivostok as part of a criminal case about the blocking of streets in Moscow, to which she had no relation whatsoever. During the search, violence was used against her husband. In March 2022, FSB officers and police conducted a search in her flat, the basis for which was a warrant to examine the premises for extremist materials and electronic devices. According to the police, Zheleznyakova was then neither a suspect nor a witness.

The meeting also elected a Deputy Chair – Arseny Yarotsky (who was also elected as a member of the party’s Federal Council). In addition, the meeting approved the new Bureau and the Control and Audit Commission of the branch.

In the post of Chair Marina Zheleznyakova succeeded Sergei Poltorak, who had headed the party branch in the Maritime Territory since December 2019.

The most important thing in the forthcoming work as Chair, according to Marina Zheleznyakova, is to ensure work on the 2026 electoral campaign and continue the work already being carried out by the Yabloko branch:

“2026 presents an opportunity for us to put forward candidates for the State Duma. This is one of the most interesting and important aspects of the work. The second point is work with young people. Very many young, active people come to us. They share our values, but often have no experience whatsoever of political work. Our task is to support them, teach them, show them Yabloko’s capabilities, and help them understand how to work towards results in the conditions of today’s reality.”