1513 foreign observers monitored 2018 presidential election in Russia – the largest number in Russia’s history. The Central Election Commission did not publish the names of 482 observers invited by the Federal Assembly, among them members of European and US-American political parties from across the political spectrum. Those observers were not members of any reputable election observation mission such as ODIHR-OSCE but rather recruited and coordinated by formally non-state Russian organisations CIS-EMO, the Civic Control Association and the National Social Monitoring. We have identified and analysed their profiles: at least 68 of those “observers” whos positive statements were largely quoted by the state-controlled media throughout the election day, have already in the past been involved in pro-Kremlin activities.
See the full report here.