Regions Calling: Kremlin Clamps Down on Communists Ahead of State Duma Elections - The Moscow Times
Moscow Times
February 20, 2026
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The Kremlin is intensifying its crackdown on the Communist Party (KPRF) ahead of September’s State Duma elections, targeting party members across Russia through police raids, administrative offenses, and arrests. In Siberia’s Altai region alone, at least 11 KPRF affiliates have been detained in recent months, including Yury Kropotin, the deputy speaker of the regional assembly, who faces embezzlement charges he describes as politically motivated. Veteran Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov has accused the Kremlin of orchestrating a campaign to weaken Russia’s second-largest political party, which is increasingly seen as a growing threat to the ruling United Russia party.
This move comes amid rising tensions between the KPRF and the government, with Zyuganov highlighting the Communist Party’s role in advocating for small businesses and gaining popular support. He recalled past experiences of persecution under previous administrations but noted that the current tactics are even more severe. Independent analysts agree that the crackdown is directly linked to the upcoming elections, as the Kremlin seeks to suppress political competition. While official statements deny any political motivation behind these investigations, critics argue that such actions are designed to undermine the KPRF’s chances in the polls.
Meanwhile, other developments across Russia highlight broader concerns about political repression and regional instability. In Ingushetia, long-time political prisoners Akhmed Barakhoev and Musa Malsagov were released after serving five years for their roles in 2019 protests against a controversial land-swap deal with Chechnya. However, authorities redirected Barakhoev’s flight to neighboring North Ossetia-Alania due to the large turnout of supporters at Magas Airport. In Chechnya, Zarema Musaeva, the jailed mother of exiled critics of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has had her sentence overturned and is now awaiting retrial.
In the Belgorod region, which has faced extensive utility outages due to Ukrainian airstrikes on energy infrastructure, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov warned that residents may not have hot water until April. Authorities have vowed to set up emergency commissions to address the surge in complaints. These incidents underscore the broader challenges Russia is
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Originally published on Moscow Times on 2/20/2026