Communist Bondarenko Barred From Running in State Duma Elections

Sep. 7, 2026 Nikolai Bondarenko. kprf.ru The Central Election Commission on Monday barred Communist Party candidate Nikolai Bondarenko from running in Russia’s upcoming parliamentary elections following his recent conviction for displaying “extremist” symbols. Bondarenko, a former Saratov regional lawmaker and popular YouTuber with more than 2 million subscribers, was detained and fined last month over an old social media post featuring a photo of the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny. His defense team argued that the account that made the post does not belong to Bondarenko. A judge rejected an appeal against the ruling and fine last week. On Monday, election officials, citing the “extremism” charge, voted to remove Bondarenko from the ballot in this month’s State Duma elections. Russian election laws prohibit anyone convicted of an “extremism” offense from running for office for a year. In a statement, the Communist Party accused officials of blocking Bondarenko’s election bid because they are “afraid.” Bondarenko rose to national fame through his fiery, unfiltered attacks against Russia’s deeply unpopular 2018 pension reforms. During his tenure in the Saratov regional assembly from 2017 to 2021, he built a large social media following through theatrical political stunts, including a viral experiment where he tried to survive on a monthly pension of 3,500 rubles ($52). His populist rhetoric, savvy use of social media and diatribes against the ruling United Russia party earned him high praise from Navalny, who once dubbed Bondarenko his “favorite” regional lawmaker. Bondarenko was stripped of his seat in the Saratov regional assembly in 2022 after state prosecutors claimed he failed to declare ad revenues and user donations generated through his popular YouTube channel. His disqualification from the upcoming State Duma election follows a series of similar cases in which potential candidates have faced charges that effectively bar them from office. On Monday, the chairman of the liberal Yabloko party in Yekaterinburg was also detained and charged over displaying “extremist” symbols in old social media posts, the newspaper Kommersant reported. Read more about: Saratov , Communist Party , Central Election Commission , Elections Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Feature Russian Election Authorities Pick Pro-War Symbol, Putin’s Favorite Slogan for Presidential Campaign Promo The design was chosen to show that the vote’s main purpose is “to re-elect the boss [Putin],” two government officials told The Moscow Times. 4 Min read Russian Communist Party Says Won’t Recognize Moscow E-Voting Results Several Communist Party candidates who looked set to win suddenly fell behind United Russia candidates as soon as e-voting results were released. Moscow Approves Left-Wing Demonstration After Presidential Elections The organizer was jailed for staging protests after the 2012 elections. Russian Media Accuse Communist Candidate of Lying About Real Estate Abroad With less than a month to go until Election Day, Russian state-run news outlets have accused the communist presidential candidate of lying about his family’s...