The Unseen Assembly: Russia’s Final Blackout on Parliamentary Transparency

The timing of the ban is especially notable as it comes ahead of the State Duma elections scheduled for September 2026. By removing independent lenses from the chamber now, the government effectively prevents the accumulation of any visual evidence of apathy or incompetence that could be used by opposition groups or independent media during the campaign cycle. It is a strategic blinding of the public eye, ensuring that when voters look toward the parliament, they see only the polished, synchronized broadcast provided by federal channels, which are legally and ideologically bound to the Kremlin's directives.