Alexei Melnikov’s blog post, 17.06.2026

Photo: Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov at the Central Electoral Commission during the 2021 State Duma elections / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service.

On 16 June, the head of state issued a decree scheduling the Russian State Duma elections for 20 September 2026. Yabloko, which stands for peace, freedom, and a life without fear, will take part in these elections and calls on citizens to sign up as party observers, with a view to exercising civic oversight of the vote and the count.

That morning, a Russian politician — stroking a fine-looking black cat on air — suggested that civic oversight of the September vote was impossible, on the grounds that no public organisations or parties remained in the country capable of offering citizens such an opportunity.

This is mistaken. Yabloko — in previous years and today — gives every Russian citizen interested in an honest count the opportunity to take part in election monitoring.

One often hears the objection that “this is pointless”. It is not. By joining Yabloko in monitoring elections, the citizens of our country affirm the right approach that our country needs: an honest vote count and civic oversight of the ballot.

It should be noted that people are not alone in this — there is a political structure, Yabloko, which today is the only backbone of civic election oversight in our country.

The time for genuine electoral reform will come; what matters is that as many people as possible gain experience of election monitoring and form a clear picture of what elections actually look like on the ground.

It may be noted, incidentally, that in previous years Yabloko offered Russian citizens working abroad the opportunity to sign up as observers at overseas polling stations — at Russian embassies and consulates. This will be possible at the September 2026 State Duma elections as well. Monitoring the elections across the world would be the right thing to do.

[Russian citizens,] sign up to monitor the September 2026 elections with Yabloko: https://www.yabloko.ru/control

Yabloko’s path is one: peaceful, lawful change in our country, a normal life for people without fear, peace and freedom.

Alexei Melnikov

is member of the Federal Political Committee of the party. Economist and political commentator