An activist from Dagognei has reported that public sector workers are being forced to participate in the primaries.

School and hospital workers in Dagestanskiye Ogni are being forced to participate in the United Russia primaries in the interests of specific candidates, activist Ramis Agabekov stated in an appeal to security forces and the leadership of Dagestan.

The activist's video message from Dagestanskiye Ogni was published on the evening of May 24 by Shamil Khadulaev, Chairman of the Dagestan Public Monitoring Commission, on his Telegram channel.

"Ramis Agabekov, a public figure from Dagestanskiye Ogni, made a video appeal to United Russia party leader Dmitry Medvedev, acting head of the Republic of Dagestan Fyodor Shchukin, and the regional FSB office regarding attempts to falsify the primaries in Dagestanskiye Ogni. I think this information will continue to surface, and more than once," Khadulaev wrote in the video's caption.

The video features Agabekov He reports that he is appealing to the leader of United Russia, the acting head of Dagestan, and the republic's Federal Security Service (FSB). "In our city, Dagestanskie Ogni [...] they are forcing and bribing people to vote in the primaries for three candidates they want," he stated.

I believe this lawlessness must be stopped.

He also claims that attempts at vote buying are taking place on the city streets. "Vote buying is taking place at several locations, including the Rybalka store, and people are walking along Chekhov, Beregov, Sverdlov, and other streets—they are trying to bribe some, forcing others, and so on. I believe this lawlessness must be stopped," the activist said.

He suggests that a city official is involved, "who wants to push the businessman's son into the People's Assembly of the republic." This businessman, a city government contractor, provided officials with "equipment that wasn't on their books."

"And after that, he [the official] says he needs to force his son into the People's Assembly because of this," the activist stated in a video message.

According to the activist, public sector employees, including school and hospital workers, also approach him. "They say their leadership is forcing them to vote for these three," Agabekov said.

More than 80 candidates have applied to participate in the United Russia primaries in Dagestan.

In March, the Dagestani branch of the United Russia party began preparations for the preliminary vote ahead of the elections for deputies to the ninth State Duma and the eighth People's Assembly of Dagestan, TASS reported on March 10.

The nomination of candidates was scheduled from March 11 to April 30, and the vote from May 25 to 31.

In September 2026, on a single voting day, 784 parliamentary seats will be up for grabs. Elections for 777 rural settlement deputies and seven rural settlement heads will also be held in 16 municipalities in Dagestan, the publication states.

According to Vladimir Yakushev, Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia party, more than 80 candidates have applied to participate in the preliminary vote in Dagestan, RIA Dagestan reported on May 22.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in July 2025, before the Krasnodar City Duma elections, Communist Party deputy Alexander Safronov reported that teachers were being forced to participate in the United Russia primaries, and that teachers were asking parents to send screenshots of their voting. The City Duma chairperson stated that the Krasnodar administration had nothing to do with this.