Press Release, 20.08.2026

Photo: A board at the Central Electoral Commission with a handwritten note reading “Yabloko Stands for Peace!” / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

Between 17 and 19 August, the electoral commissions of the Kaliningrad, Novgorod, Pskov, Sverdlovsk and Tomsk Regions held drawings of lots to determine the positions of political parties on the ballot papers.

Yabloko’s lists of candidates were allocated the following positions in each of the five regions:

Kaliningrad Region — No. 3
Novgorod Region — No. 3
Pskov Region — No. 9
Sverdlovsk Region — No. 2
Tomsk Region — No. 4

Ivan Bolshakov, head of Yabloko’s Analytical Centre, points out that in most regions holding elections to regional parliaments in 2026, United Russia, the party of power, took first place on the ballot. He notes that United Russia drew ballot position No. 1 not only in the State Duma elections but also in 21 out of 39 regions:

“United Russia has once again defeated the probability theory. The mathematics is unequivocal: for a single party to win 21 first places out of 39 drawings is a virtually impossible event. With equal chances for all participants, such a result represents an enormous statistical deviation from the norm. In plain language: it is simply fantastical.”

It should be noted that, in addition to the five regions listed above, where Yabloko candidates continue to fight for mandates in regional parliaments, the party’s lists were withdrawn from the elections in St. Petersburg, the Leningrad Region and Karelia. The grounds for the removal were purely political, aimed at preventing Yabloko candidates from taking part in campaigns precisely in those regions where the party traditionally enjoys broad voter support. Yabloko is appealing the decisions on removal of its lists in court.

At the same time, 13 Yabloko candidates nominated in single-mandate constituencies remain in the elections in St. Petersburg, with a further 12 in Karelia.