In a surprising turn of events, a voters’ committee in Moscow has thrown its support behind Russian journalist Yekaterina Duntsova as a potential presidential candidate. The decision was reached at a meeting held at an undisclosed location for security reasons, with 521 participants voting in favor of her nomination out of the more than 700 attendees.

The gathering, which exceeded the required minimum of 500 participants, included the presence of a representative from Russia’s Central Election Commission. However, the event was not without its share of challenges. Independent outlet 7×7 reported the unexpected presence of two police officers, and the moderator requested that the press refrain from asking political questions. Additionally, the meeting faced a temporary power outage, according to the outlet Ostorozhno, Novosti.

For Duntsova to progress further in her presidential bid, the voters’ committee must now be registered with the Central Election Commission. If successful, she will have until January 25 to collect 300,000 signatures from residents across Russia’s regions. These signatures will undergo a verification process for authenticity.

Yekaterina Duntsova, a Russian journalist, declared her candidacy on November 16, outlining her support for “an end to the fighting, democratic reforms, and the release of political prisoners.” However, her announcement was swiftly followed by a summons to the prosecutor’s office, where officials inquired about her stance on the conflict in Ukraine.

Born in Krasnoyarsk, Duntsova relocated to Rzhev, Tver Oblast, in 1995, where she completed her high school education. Her journalistic career began in 2003, working at the Rzhev municipal television company for about a year. Subsequently, she became the head of a school television studio and managed her own project in collaboration with her husband, the independent television company RiT, which was closed in 2022. During her time in the TV company, she focused on covering municipal-level issues such as housing, communal services, official misconduct, and crime.

In 2009, Duntsova actively opposed the abolition of mayoral elections in Rzhev, gathering over 4,000 signatures. From 2019 to 2022, she served as a member of the Rzhev City Duma. Before announcing her presidential campaign, Duntsova worked as a journalist and coordinated the activities of a volunteer search and rescue team in Rzhev.

As the political landscape in Russia continues to evolve, Yekaterina Duntsova’s candidacy adds a new dimension, with her focus on ending conflicts, advocating for democratic reforms, and addressing concerns about political prisoners. The road ahead, however, is fraught with challenges, including the need to navigate the complex process of signature collection and verification.