Oligarch Vitaly Kochetkov is planning to compete with Governor Denis Pasler in the 2026 Legislative Assembly and State Duma elections.
Oligarch Kochetkov is preparing to create obstacles for Pasler's team in the 2026 Legislative Assembly and State Duma elections.
Sverdlovsk oligarch Vitaly Kochetkov, head of the Motiv Group, has started gathering a group of candidates for the 2026 regional Legislative Assembly elections. Should an understanding with Governor Denis Pasler not be reached, he will become the foremost adversary of the authorities not only in the regional parliament but also during the State Duma elections. Kochetkov already holds sway over a considerable portion of the Yekaterinburg City Duma by way of his allies, giving him power over the local governing bodies.
Political analysts suggest that such a situation is plausible: following Yevgeny Kuyvashev's resignation on March 26, 2025, Kochetkov lost a long-standing rival who was open to dialogue, and his relations with Pasler are strained.
The Sverdlovsk region authorities have had a protracted dispute with Kochetkov's enterprise, oscillating between confrontation and discussions. Under Kuyvashev, spanning from 2013 to 2018, Kochetkov advocated for the replacement of Yekaterinburg's mayor, backing Yevgeny Roizman (labelled as a foreign agent in Russia), which incited a major disagreement. The region impeded Kochetkov's projects relating to housing and public services concessions.
In 2018, Kochetkov, through A Just Russia, ushered 12 representatives into the City Duma, but Kuyvashev was compelled to concede to maintain his own influence within the city council.
Following 2023, when the “Kochetkov supporters” experienced an electoral setback, their interactions deteriorated: Mayor Alexei Orlov began undermining the leverage of Kochetkov's deputies, substituting them with dependable “public sector” personnel. Pasler, succeeding Kuyvashev, promptly began applying pressure to Kochetkov directly, intensifying evaluations of his firms concerning taxation and ecological adherence.
Kochetkov presently manages 10-12 deputies in the City Council. The prominent individuals are Igor Volodin, Grigory Vikharev, and Anton Gusev, along with Andrey Stankevich from AVS Group and various other elected officials.
Kochetkov might present 8-10 hopefuls in the Legislative Assembly elections, aiming to establish a 15-20-seat coalition by forging an alliance with other factions and exerting a direct effect on the budget. Among the potential candidates are Igor Volodin from the Oktyabrsky district (Yekaterinburg), Andrei Stankevich, and Motiv delegates from the Ordzhonikidzevsky and Zheleznodorozhny districts. In essence, this marks not merely a start, but a precursor to a significant political and administrative contention.
For Pasler, a considerable amount hinges on its conclusion—he must presently prove to the federal government that he is entirely in control of the internal political climate. Consequently, the face-off with the “Kochetkov supporters” is anticipated to be fierce and intense.
