# Lavrov says EU preparing special observers to ‘secretly monitor’ State Duma elections

https://mins.news/en/item/49293

- TASS, 2026-09-08 07:19 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://tass.com/politics/2183963

> Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow had received information that the European Union was training special observers to “secretly monitor” Russia’s State Duma elections. He also cited Ukraine’s 2004 vote and Romania’s 2025 elections. The ninth-convocation election is scheduled for September 18–20, 2026.

## Related coverage

- [Fact check: Why is Russia claiming Western ‘interference’ in Duma elections?](https://mins.news/en/item/52944) — The Kyiv Independent, 2026-09-10
