Last Sunday, 19 April, local government elections were held in four regions of Russia. Deputies of two representative bodies and heads of two municipal formations were elected.
Orenburg Oblast: United Russia monopolises a village council
In Orenburg Oblast, by-elections of deputies of the Vesenniy Village Council were held in seven single-mandate constituencies.
The village council here was formed in September last year, but only partially — seven out of ten candidates received deputy mandates. At that time, the TEC of Orenburg District cancelled the election results in single-mandate constituencies No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10. The grounds cited were that “during the counting of voters’ ballots, the violations committed do not allow the results of the voters’ expression of will to be determined with certainty.” At the same time, the regional branch of the Communist Party (CPRF) published a statement asserting that the cancellation of the election results in three constituencies in the Vesenniy Village Council occurred because of 50 “extra” ballots found in the ballot box.
When four more elected deputies from United Russia resigned their powers, the number of vacant mandates reached seven, and new elections were called.
Twenty-eight registered candidates contested them: seven from United Russia, six from the LDPR, six from the CPRF, six from the Party of Pensioners and three from A Just Russia.
Six self-nominated candidates were denied registration — the candidates did not submit their first financial report. At the same time, the candidates submitted far more signatures in their support than were required for registration, but the majority of them were declared invalid.
Following the voting, all mandates went to candidates from United Russia.
North Ossetia: replacement of a village head implicated in fraud
In the Republic of North Ossetia — Alania, early elections of the head of the Fiagdon Rural Settlement in Alagir District were held.
The administrative centre of the settlement is Verkhny Fiagdon — a picturesque high-mountain village located at an altitude of 1,300 metres in the Kurtat Gorge of North Ossetia. It is the heart of the region’s resort recreation, with a mild climate, healing air, mountain landscapes, ancient towers and the Holy Dormition Alan Monastery.
Photo: Wikipedia
The ex-head of Verkhny Fiagdon, Valery Guriev, is accused of land fraud. According to the investigation, in 2015 the head issued extracts from the household register containing false information to two local residents, on the basis of which their ownership rights to land plots with a total area of 7,000 sq. m were illegally registered. By his actions, the defendant caused damage to the district budget in the amount of more than 6 million 900 thousand roubles.
It is noteworthy that in 2015 Guriev was recognised by the republic’s leadership for the settlement’s success in the competition for the title of best rural municipal formation and received a prize of 300 thousand roubles.
Five candidates were registered for the elections: one from United Russia, one from the LDPR and three self-nominated candidates. A fourth self-nominated candidate — acting head Aslan Khadikov — withdrew his candidacy.
Following the voting, the post of head went to the candidate from United Russia.
Komi: elections after the tragic death of a child
In the Republic of Komi, early elections of deputies of the council of the Mutnitsa Rural Settlement took place.
On 28 January, six deputies of the council adopted a decision on the self-dissolution of the representative body following a tragic incident.
In 2021, the chairman and simultaneously head of the rural settlement, Alexei Plekhov, independently mounted elements of a monument to those who fell during the Great Patriotic War onto a base made of paving slabs, securing the elements with a cement-based adhesive mixture without using a reinforced concrete foundation or a metal connecting anchor. Three years later, the structure collapsed onto a seven-year-old girl; she died.
Photo: Investigative Committee
The Investigative Committee established that the object was financed from the funds of local residents as part of a people’s project in the sphere of amenities, with subsidisation from the republic’s budget.
In April 2025, Alexei Plekhov was sentenced to compulsory labour for negligence. He did not stand in the current elections. His spouse, ex-deputy Valentina Plekhova, also did not stand.
Ten registered candidates contested the seven deputy mandates: seven from United Russia, two from A Just Russia and one self-nominated candidate.
It is noteworthy that the LDPR and the CPRF also actively sought people willing to stand from them, but without success.
Following the voting, five mandates went to candidates from United Russia, one to A Just Russia and one to a self-nominated candidate.
Volgograd Oblast: a village head served for half a year
In Volgograd Oblast, early elections of the head of the Pugachyovskoye Rural Settlement were held.
The reason for calling them was the passing of Alexander Lamsky, who had been elected from United Russia in September 2025.
Three registered candidates contested the post of head: one from United Russia, one from the LDPR and one from A Just Russia.
Following the voting, the post of head went to the candidate from United Russia.
19 April in Russia
Eight candidates contested the posts of heads of two municipalities.
Thirty-eight candidates contested 14 deputy mandates of the representative bodies of two municipalities in majoritarian electoral constituencies.
In total since the start of the new electoral cycle
After the single voting day on 14 September 2025, 30 electoral campaigns for the election of heads of municipalities have taken place. Eighty-six candidates took part in them.
Elections of a deputy of the representative body of one subject of the Russian Federation have taken place. Five candidates took part in them. A candidate from United Russia was elected as the deputy.
Elections of deputies of 87 local representative bodies have taken place; 471 deputy mandates were filled in majoritarian constituencies. In the majoritarian constituencies, 1,093 candidates were registered.
