In Transnistria, Russia wants to open many times more polling stations than Moldova has allowed

Moldova is preparing a note of protest to Russia over Moscow’s plans to open polling stations in Transnistria for the Russian State Duma elections in numbers exceeding those agreed upon. 

This was reported by the Moldovan publication News Maker.

According to Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi, Chisinau is preparing an official note of protest to the Russian diplomatic mission after learning of plans to open more polling stations on the territory of the republic than had been agreed upon.

According to him, the Russian side was officially permitted to open only one polling station—on the grounds of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau. The foreign minister described any other polling station opened without the permission of Moldova’s constitutional authorities as an unfriendly move.

Earlier, the leader of the unrecognized region of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, stated that Russia plans to open 17 polling stations in the region in September for voting in the elections to the Russian State Duma. He claims that approximately 220,000 Russian citizens reside in Transnistria.

Elections to the ninth convocation of the Russian State Duma will take place on September 20, 2026, and voting will last three days—from September 18 to 20. Regional and local elections will be held simultaneously in Russia.

Russia also plans to hold voting in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities consider such “elections” illegal and devoid of legal consequences.

Following the illegal holding of elections to the Russian State Duma in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the risk of a large-scale mobilization of men into the Russian army could rise sharply. The occupying forces are already preparing for such a scenario.

Ірина Глухова