Statement by the Yabloko party, 11.09.2021

Photo: Boris Vishnevsky (right) and two other “Boris Vishnevskys”

In the evening of 9 September, the student magazine Doxa published a journalistic investigation “St.Petersburg State University is looking for students so that to “falsify the elections a little” in favour of the candidate from United Russia and the head of the Committee of St.Petersburg. He is running against the three Boris Vishnevskys”.

It is reported about the recruitment of students for the so-called “carousel” (unlawful multiple voting) with the aim of falsifying the election results in favour of the candidate from United Russia in electoral district No. 2 in the election of deputies to the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg.

This is the same constituency where, as you know, “doppelgaengers” are running against Boris Lazarevich Vishnevsky, the leader of the election race and a Yabloko candidate, these two [fraudulent Vishnevskys] have changed not only their first names and surnames, but also their appearance in order to resemble the real Boris Vishnevsky.

As indicated in the Doxa publication, the organisers of the falsifications offer students of St. Petersburg State University to stuff in ballots in favour a candidate from United Russia at 12 polling stations a day within all the three days of voting. For such “work” each of the participants in the “carousels” will be paid 15,000 roubles.

There is no doubt that both the creators of Vishnevsky’s “twins” and the investors of the “carousels” are located in Smolny, the St.Petersburg government office.

Information from Doxa magazine, confirmed by an audio recording of a telephone conversation with one of the organisers of the carousel, is causing serious concern not only because of the elections, but first of all, because of the involvement of young people in criminal activities.

On the one hand, the authorities persecute young people for any protest activity. On the other hand, they make it clear that making money through participation in falsifications is normal, and that “money does not stink”. This destroys the last vestiges of confidence in the elections among young people and forms the idea that life in Russia is inseparable from lies and corruption.

We demand that law enforcement agencies immediately investigate the criminal activities of the organisers and masterminds of the election “carousels”.

We are asking the Central Electoral Commission of the Russian Federation to send its representatives to St.Petersburg to monitor the observance of the electoral rights of citizens.

We are calling on the voters of St.Petersburg to come to the polls on 19 September, 2021. Falsifications lose their meaning when voter turnout is high.

Residents of St.Petersburg, if you are for peace, freedom, and a life without lies and corruption – vote for yourself and your future, vote for Yabloko!

Nikolai Rybakov,

Yabloko Chairman