Updated

Several representatives of Russia's antiwar Yabloko party serving on precinct election commissions in St. Petersburg's Krasnogvardeysky District received summonses ordering them to report to military enlistment offices at 9 a.m. on the first day of voting, exactly when polls are set to open, in an apparent effort to keep them from monitoring the vote. The incident is part of a broader pattern of pressure on Yabloko, the only antiwar party, ahead of Russia's State Duma elections. Russia will hold elections for the ninth State Duma from September 18 to 20, 2026, with Yabloko's disqualification from the ballot marking the campaign's most significant development after having drawn strong support from young, antiwar-leaning voters online. Despite the crackdown, many Russians abroad still plan to vote, viewing it as a rare opportunity to express dissent, with Kremlin-backed candidates having previously lost at some overseas polling stations, including one where Putin himself lost in 2024.