Maksim Raider, deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's election commission and ambassador-at-large, said the notes asked foreign governments to "take adequate measures to protect polling stations, including banning demonstrations on election day near our missions abroad."
Raider said Moscow expects "good-faith compliance by foreign countries with their international obligations." He added that Russian authorities "will not sit idly by either": during the election, security at diplomatic missions will be reinforced, and staff, due to reduced personnel, will have to work "with double or even triple the workload." He did not disclose details of additional security measures.
The election for the ninth convocation of the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, will be held from September 18 to 20. According to the Foreign Ministry, Russia has set up 312 polling stations in 152 countries, including 62 states that Russian authorities consider "unfriendly." It also plans to hold 125 early out-of-country votes in 45 countries.
In Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Baltic states, and several other countries, the ministry decided to limit voting to Russian diplomatic missions themselves, saying it was impossible to ensure the safety of out-of-country voting there. In Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Yemen, China, and Kuwait, voting will be held entirely early.
A month before the election, Central Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova called for stripping voting rights from Russians who left the country and "betrayed it." She said the commission expects that during voting in "unfriendly" states, "the public that fled the country" will hold pickets and "various provocations." The party "Peaceful Russia," led by politician Ilya Yashin, proposed holding an anti-war action on the main voting day, September 20, urging all those who disagree with Putin's policies to vote at exactly 12:00.