630 participants of the SVO will compete for seats in the State Duma in the "United Russia" primaries.

      On May 22, 2026, at 12:07, Politics: 5,200 people have applied to participate in the preliminary voting of "United Russia" ahead of the State Duma elections. This was reported by the secretary of the party's General Council, Vladimir Yakushev, at a meeting with journalists from federal media, as informed by the press service of the NRO "United Russia." Among the potential candidates are 630 participants of the Special Military Operation. According to Yakushev, the party is orienting future candidates towards maximum close interaction with voters. They are expected to be able to work with criticism and "charge citizens with positivity." The assessment of the nominees will be based not only on the results of the primaries but also on data from sociological studies. Candidates with low ratings and high anti-ratings, as he emphasized, will not be allowed to participate in the elections. "Out of 316 current State Duma deputies, 239 people registered for the preliminary voting — that’s 75%," Yakushev noted. He also allowed that there might be "small adjustments" to the list at the upcoming party Congress. According to him, the party has already formed a base of single-mandate candidates who plan to participate in the elections. However, if a candidate can "drag the list down" or turns out to be toxic for voters, changes are possible. The secretary of the General Council paid special attention to explanatory work. He stated that the decisions of the authorities are dictated by security issues, but citizens "do not live in this agenda" and often react sharply to what is happening. In this regard, politicians need to personally communicate with people and explain the necessity of the measures being taken. "We need to go to the people and break the distance," Yakushev emphasized, adding that personal communication is currently more effective than social networks. According to him, it is important for candidates to be able to answer tough questions and work with an emotionally charged audience. Those who are not ready for such a format will find it harder to expect successful participation in the campaign. Speaking about the formation of electoral lists, Yakushev reported that the option of including from 50 to 55 heads of regions in the federal list is being considered. In 2021, 57 territorial groups were formed, 49 of which were headed by governors. It is expected that this time, heads of regions may also lead regional groups. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.