Experts: High results at 2025 governor elections attributed to vote rigging
Electoral analyst Ivan Shukshin has examined the results from several Russian regions where gubernatorial ‘elections’ took place in September 2025.
His unambiguous conclusion: the results were falsified.
REM publishes some of Shukshin’s conclusions.
Read more … Experts: High results at 2025 governor elections attributed to vote rigging
Statement on Russian regional elections 2025
On 12–14 September 2025, Russia held regional elections.
Elections were held in 81 regions with more than 5,000 election campaigns at various levels.
REM monitored the voting process and summarized the main conclusions from the observation.
Election update XIII
On 12–14 September, Russia will hold regional elections. While these events can hardly be described as genuine elections, they remain one of the few available indicators of internal political dynamics.
In this digest, REM examines the changes to electoral legislation introduced ahead of the vote, as well as the results of candidate registration.
Who is next? Persecution of governors in Russia
On 7 July 2025, former governor of the Kursk region Roman Starovoit was found dead in an apparent suicide, according to investigators.
During Vladimir Putin’s 25-year rule, 32 Russian governors have faced prosecution.
This article explores how the Kremlin’s approach to prosecuting regional elites — both allies and critics — has evolved over Putin's time in power.
Is Siberia retaining its autonomy? Municipal reform and unexpected protests
In spring 2025, Vladimir Putin signed a new law on local self-government.
The reform unexpectedly triggered backlash from regional leaders, deputies, and citizens — especially in Siberia and the Far East — that culminated in a mass rally in Gorno-Altaysk.
REM examines the evolution of local self-government in Russia and explores why seemingly formal administrative changes have sparked such resistance.
Read more … Is Siberia retaining its autonomy? Municipal reform and unexpected protests
Election watchdog ‘Golos’ announced shutdown. Is this the end of independent monitoring?
The announcement was made on 8 July, shortly after Golos co-chair Grigory Melkonyants had been sentenced to five years in prison.
Following this, Golos shuttered regional offices and suspended all ongoing projects.
Read more … Election watchdog ‘Golos’ announced shutdown. Is this the end of independent monitoring?