Romania's decision to close Russia's consulate in Constanța has affected Moscow's election preparations in the country. Russia had planned to set up two polling stations in Romania for the State Duma elections scheduled for September 20, 2026.
But after the consulate in Constanța ceased operations on July 1 by decision of Romanian authorities, that plan changed. Russia's Foreign Ministry had previously announced it would open two polling stations, at the embassy in Bucharest and the consulate in Constanța.
According to a statement from the Russian Embassy in Romania, voters will now only be able to cast their ballots at the embassy building in the capital Bucharest. Official data shows that 583 Russian citizens live in Romania, and the polling station will be equipped with a corresponding number of ballot papers.
The embassy stated that the elections will be held in accordance with Russian Federation legislation and with necessary security measures in place. The date of the State Duma elections was set as September 20, 2026 by a decree of the Russian President dated June 16, 2026.