Warriors on the ballot
More than 70 veterans from the war of aggression are running for seats in the State Duma. In Murmansk, the leader of a regional naval infantry brigade with extensive combat experience from occupied land is on the ballot.
People with war experience from the front lines in Ukraine may be about to significantly boost their power in Russian politics. In the State Duma election, as well as the elections for regional parliaments, hundreds of military men and war veterans are running for seats in this weekend’s vote.
In the vote for the State Duma, the federal parliament, more than 70 war veterans with combat experience are on the party list of Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party alone.
Among them are several war criminals, according to Novaya Gazeta Europa.
On the list is also Dmitry Poddubny, the war propagandist for state TV company VGTRK, who this week campaigned among military men in Pechenga on the Kola Peninsula.
Similarly, war veterans are on party lists in this weekend’s regional parliament elections.
In Murmansk, Major General Roman Fyodorov is among the top candidates for United Russia. Fyodorov, who previously commanded the 200th Motorised Rifle Brigade and later the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade, is in charge of the Marine Corps headquarters for the Russian Navy. In 2023, he was awarded the so-called Hero of Russia order for his participation in the onslaught on Ukraine.
On the regional ballot is also Aleksei Chyufyrev, a military man who has organised military youth organisations on the Kola Peninsula over many years.
In the Pechenga District, the top candidate for United Russia is Eduard Shmidt, an electric locomotive driver at Norilsk Nickel’s mines in Zapolyarny.
Shmidt went to war and was seriously injured. Since 2025, he has been given key posts in the Pechenga municipal council and was ultimately chosen as one of United Russia’s top candidates for the regional Duma elections.
In June 2026, Shmidt was handpicked to participate in the main election training seminar of the United Russia Higher Party School in Moscow. He was also appointed as a delegate to the party’s All-Russian Congress.
Reportedly, he has been awarded two medals for his participation in the war of aggression.
Not only are warriors and war criminals on the ballot in this weekend’s elections in Russia, but polling stations are also named after "heroes" who fought on occupied land.
In Kola, a municipality on the Kola Peninsula, polling station Number 341 has been named after Vladimir Menshikov. The soldier, who was from Kola, was killed in January 2025. The 20-year-old man had fought in both the Luhansk and Donetsk regions before he was killed in Sudzha, Kursk region.
In Polyarny, a regional naval town, polling station Number 212 has been named after Yaroslav Dulepov. The soldier had served several years on the small anti-submarine vessel Brest before he went to war on occupied land. The 36-year-old man was killed in August 2022.
