On August 28, 2026, Moscow will conduct a vote regarding the relocation of the Alexander Pushkin monument. The vote, taking place between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., will allow residents to decide if the monument should remain in its current location or be moved back to its original spot across Tverskaya Street. Citizens can participate online or at one of 132 designated polling stations. This initiative was proposed by film director Nikita Mikhalkov, who believes the monument's current placement on the site of the demolished Strastnoy Monastery bell tower is inappropriate and moving it would restore historical justice.
Beyond the debate over the monument's placement, the Moscow mayor's office announced that this vote will also serve as a critical test for the remote electronic voting system. This system is slated to be used in the upcoming State Duma parliamentary elections in September. The test aims to identify any necessary adjustments and evaluate the system's performance under various conditions, ensuring its readiness for the broader elections.
The Pushkin monument, originally unveiled in 1880, initially stood opposite the Strastnoy Monastery. Following the monastery's demolition in the 1930s, the monument was relocated in 1950 to the current site, which was once the monastery's demolished bell tower. The current vote seeks to potentially reverse this 1950 relocation. This event takes place in a climate where Russia's anti-war party, Yabloko, was recently removed from the State Duma ballot, leading to an unexpected surge in membership applications and social media followers for the party, highlighting the ongoing political tensions and public desire for participation, even if through indirect means like a statue vote or joining opposition parties.
