The court refused to reinstate the Sochi communist in the ranks of the CPRF.

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The district court in Krasnodar denied Sochi resident Viktor Smirnov's request to be reinstated in the ranks of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF). Smirnov believes that the decision to exclude him was made with gross violations of the party's charter and intends to appeal the court's refusal.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", a group of Sochi communists elected Inna Pagaeva as their leader, but some of their party members disagreed with this decision. The regional body of the CPRF declared the decision invalid. As a result, a split occurred among the Sochi communists, effectively resulting in two leadership centers. The presidium of the auditing commission of the CPRF for Krasnodar Krai excluded the head of the Sochi branch, Inna Pagaeva, from the party. She sent an appeal to the party leader and the Central Committee of the party, demanding to recognize the illegality of the decision. The communists are convinced that this is a "cleansing of the ranks" before the elections. At the end of June, former party member Viktor Smirnov was unable to enter the Sochi branch; he was forcibly prevented from doing so, sustained injuries, and reported it to the police.

On August 18, the Primorsky District Court of Krasnodar refused to satisfy the claim of former secretary of the primary party organization No. 18 "Donskaya" of the Sochi city branch of the CPRF Viktor Smirnov, who seeks to have the decision regarding his exclusion from the party recognized as illegal.

A court clerk confirmed to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" that Smirnov's claim was denied. "He can appeal the decision in the regional court within a month. The motivated decision can be obtained by the parties on August 31," the court employee explained.

I was excluded from their party, like other like-minded individuals.

Viktor Smirnov told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" that he is a veteran of combat operations in Afghanistan and a member of the CPRF since June 2023. Four of his party comrades attended the court session. "I was excluded from their party, like other like-minded individuals. I contested in this court the decision of the Auditing Commission of the Krasnodar Regional Branch (AKK KKO) of the CPRF dated April 18, 2026. In the claim, I indicated that the decision regarding my exclusion was made with gross violations of the CPRF charter and by an unauthorized body," he reported.

In Smirnov's claim (a copy is available to "Caucasian Knot"), it is stated that the conflict in the Sochi cell of the CPRF escalated after Smirnov criticized the leadership of the Sochi city committee represented by first secretary V. A. Zhironkin. After that, a "personal case" was initiated against Smirnov.

"I was excluded on the eve of the reporting and election conference of the Sochi local branch to prevent me from being a delegate," Smirnov emphasized in the claim. The plaintiff also demanded compensation for moral damages in the amount of 100 rubles, noting that he experienced deep moral suffering due to the unlawful actions of the party leadership.

Procedural violations in my exclusion are obvious.

Viktor Smirnov stated his intention to continue the fight. "My comrades and I disagree with the decision of the first instance court. As soon as we receive it in hand, we will immediately prepare and submit an appeal to the Krasnodar Regional Court. The procedural violations in my exclusion are obvious, and we intend to prove this in the higher instance," he added.

Smirnov also reported that no investigation into the case of his beating near the CPRF office is being conducted. "Complete silence," he stated.

"The CPRF charter does not grant the auditing commission the right to exclude party members from its ranks - it is a consultative body that could only submit a petition to the Bureau of the regional branch," said Inna Pagaeva, who was also excluded from the CPRF, to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot". She also intends to contest her exclusion from the party in court.

CPRF members have previously managed to be reinstated in the party.

An expert on legal issues, independent of this court case, Elena Pilipenko commented on the situation with Smirnov. "Courts traditionally intervene cautiously in the internal activities and disciplinary practices of political parties and public associations, citing the principle of autonomy. However, in the presence of proven procedural violations of the charter, for example, a decision made by an unauthorized body or a violation of the notification procedure for a party member, the plaintiff has chances for a review of the case in the appellate instance, as has already happened in the judicial practice of Krasnodar Krai. CPRF members have previously managed to be reinstated in the party. This often happens on appeal," she told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

Vladislav Zhironkin, mentioned in Smirnov's claim, declined to comment to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

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