Russia demands other countries ban pickets outside its embassies during State Duma election

Russia's Foreign Ministry has renewed accusations against the Baltic states, claiming they are pressuring Russian citizens living on their territory ahead of the upcoming State Duma elections. Ambassador-at-large Maxim Raider told the RIA Novosti agency that Western countries, particularly the Baltic states, are trying to prevent Russian citizens from freely expressing their will in the vote, despite their own stated commitments to human rights and democracy.

According to Raider, similar concerns apply to Poland, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, where he claims "russophobia" has affected most of the ruling elite. He did not rule out possible provocations at polling stations abroad.

Request to ban protests

Raider said Russia has approached the foreign ministries of all countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, requesting that protest actions near Russian embassies be banned during the election days of September 18-20. Diplomatic notes were reportedly sent asking for protection of polling stations. He did not specify any concrete threats to the embassies.

Earlier remarks by Pamfilova

In mid-August, the head of Russia's Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, said Russian citizens who had left the country should not be allowed to vote, describing them as having "betrayed" the state. The commission also advised Russian ambassadors in so-called "unfriendly countries" to ask local authorities to protect polling stations from people it claims are planning pickets and "provocations."

As previously reported, the Yabloko party — the only one opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine — was barred from participating in the election. President Vladimir Putin recently thanked all parties represented in the State Duma for their full support of his policies.