Russian State Duma bans photography of deputies during sessions
The Russian State Duma has officially prohibited photographers from working during plenary sessions.
This was reported by Kommersant.
Starting 21 January 2026, a new regulation allows only camera operators from federal TV channels to access the gallery in the chamber. Independent photographers and members of the parliamentary press pool can no longer directly capture deputies at work on the floor, Kommersant reports.
The restriction was introduced following sharp criticism from Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who accused photographers of trying to catch politicians in an unflattering light. Volodin claimed that journalists focus on embarrassing moments rather than evaluating the substantive work of deputies and urged the press to reconsider how they cover government activity.
This move represents another stage in the increasing closure of Russian state institutions from public oversight. Against the backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression, domestic policy is increasingly aimed at creating a controlled and sanitized information space. The ban on free photography effectively prevents the public from seeing the real behavior of lawmakers during high-profile legislative decisions.
Earlier, the Duma approved a draft law allowing the state to take ownership of housing belonging to Ukrainians who fled the war and whose property in temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions is deemed “abandoned” by Russian authorities.
The Duma also announced that YouTube will be fully blocked in Russia for one year.
