On August 12, 2026, the CIS Observation Mission began monitoring the elections to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The Mission Headquarters was also opened to provide the organizational and methodological support for the Mission’s work.
Ilhom Nematov, Head of the CIS Observation Mission and CIS Deputy Secretary-General, met with Ella Pamfilova, Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The Chairwoman provided detailed information on the work being carried out to prepare for and conduct the elections and on the course of the election campaign.
For his part, Ilhom Nematov outlined the main approaches to organizing and conducting monitoring activities by the CIS member states and Commonwealth bodies representatives. He noted that this is the CIS’s 11th observation mission in the Russian Federation and that the organizers have accumulated considerable experience in ensuring a thorough and comprehensive assessment of various aspects of election campaigns.
Ilhom Nematov stated:
“The CIS Observation Mission will conduct its monitoring based on the principles of openness, neutrality, non-interference in the internal affairs of the state or the electoral process, and in strict compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation. The Mission’s task is to collect reliable information on the course of the election campaign and preparations for the voting and draw conclusions on this basis. The key purpose of the Mission is to contribute to the formation of a body of deputies that will subsequently represent the interests of ordinary citizens with dignity. The observers’ work will be regularly covered by the media and on the CIS website.”
The meeting also addressed the cooperation and comprehensive information exchange between the election organizers and the Mission representatives during the election campaign.
Following the meeting with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, Ilhom Nematov briefed the media on the start of the CIS Observation Mission’s work, the procedure for forming its membership and the principles governing its activities.