We received this text from a person who could be described as an election observation organiser in one of the Volga region territories. We decided to publish it with the author's consent as a testimony of the past elections.

On the single voting day of 20 September 2026, more than 2,200 election campaigns took place in Russia, including elections of deputies to the State Duma, direct elections of heads of eight regions, elections of deputies to 39 regional parliaments, and local elections.

Once again, cases of strange nighttime activity at polling stations have been detected in various regions — and in the morning, observers find altered seals, tampered fastenings, forged signatures, and extra ballots.

The main efforts of the authorities were directed at the administrative mobilization of voters through remote electronic voting (REV) and controlled voting at polling stations themselves.

The first day of voting showed that the current elections differ from previous ones even at the voting stage.

A transparent procedure is set out in detail in the law, and any departure from it is a violation of the law in itself and, at the same time, a signal: the commission is creating conditions in which more serious violations can be concealed.

What is international observation and how does it work

Analytical report

Throughout Russia's recent history, a broad arsenal of falsification technologies has been used in elections.

And on attempts to reform election observation in Russia

Report on monitoring of federal television channels during the thirteenth week (7–13 September) of the election campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on social media monitoring for the twelfth week (1–7 September) of the election campaign for the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026.

Analytical report on the composition of election commissions in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation at the start of the 2026 State Duma elections, in four parts

The questionnaire for PEC members contains questions that make it possible to determine whether a given voter will vote for the party in power.

The authorities tested the system, gradually making it impervious to independent observation, and expanded the geography of its use, so that in the coming years internet voting may completely displace ordinary paper ballots.

the authorities have finally achieved what they were aiming for when they launched the video-monitoring game in 2012: a pretty picture with a complete absence of substance

Monitoring report on federal television channels during the twelfth week (31 August – 6 September) of the election campaign for the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Social media monitoring report for the eleventh week (25 – 31 August) of the election campaign for the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

The complete absence of PECs at polling stations only reinforces the assumption that the voting results here will be adjusted as needed.

Report on monitoring of federal television channels during the eleventh week (24–30 August 2026) of the election campaign for the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on social media monitoring during the tenth week of the election campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026.

Russia has travelled a path from blocking individual resources to centralised traffic management, mobile internet shutdowns and “white lists” where not the entire internet works, but only what the state has permitted to remain switched on.

Over the course of more than ten years, Russia has built a full-fledged legal and administrative system for governing the internet.

The goal was a noble one — to exclude from the electoral process those participants who lack genuine voter support.

Report on monitoring of federal television channels during the tenth week (17–23 August) of the election campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on social media monitoring in the ninth week of the election campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Analytical report

Over the past two-plus decades, Russian legislation has gradually turned campaigning from a form of political communication into a complex bureaucratic procedure.

Report on monitoring of federal television channels during the ninth week (10–16 August) of the election campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Since 2002, when the framework law on elections was adopted, the requirements for campaigning in Russia have been growing increasingly complex.

Report on social media monitoring for the eighth week of the election campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026.

The safest way to ensure that no uncontrollable people make their way into elected bodies is to sterilise the ballot paper against them from the very outset.

In Russian elections, some participants are forced to constantly prove their right to campaign, while others conduct theirs under the cover of the administrative machine, budgetary support and a loyal media landscape.

Russian politics over the past twenty-five years has been about regulating the party system to suit the regime’s changing needs

Report on monitoring of federal television channels during the eighth week of the election campaign (3–9 August) for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Social Media Monitoring Report for the Seventh Week of the Election Campaign, 28 July–3 August, Ahead of the Election of Deputies to the Ninth State Duma of the Russian Federation, Scheduled for 20 September 2026

Analytical Report

After a number of social networks were banned in 2022, the opposition's campaigning opportunities shrank substantially, while the risks increased.

In Russia, equality of opportunity in campaigning is absent due to the selective application of legislation

An opposition candidate spends energy not only on persuading the voter, but also on fighting for the very ability to campaign

Federal Television Monitoring Report for the Seventh Week of the Election Campaign, 27 July–2 August, Ahead of the Election of Deputies to the Ninth State Duma of the Russian Federation, Scheduled for 20 September 2026

Social Media Monitoring Report for the Sixth Week of the Election Campaign, 21–27 July, Ahead of the Election of Deputies to the Ninth State Duma of the Russian Federation, Scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on the monitoring of federal television channels in the sixth week (20–26 July) of the campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the 9th convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on social media monitoring during the fifth week of the campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the IX convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Analytical report on the composition of the election commissions of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation at the start of the 2026 State Duma election campaign, in four parts

Report on the monitoring of federal television channels in the fifth week of the campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the IX convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on social media monitoring in the fourth week of the campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the IX convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Five most dangerous legislative initiatives for environmental protection regulation

Report on the monitoring of federal television channels during the fourth week of the campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the IX convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on social-media monitoring in the third week of the campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the IX convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026