Russian State Duma Bans Photos Of Deputies

• 22.01.2026, 8:06

For "willfully bad shots."

The Russian State Duma has stopped letting photojournalists into its sessions. The parliament's press service pointed out that the balcony, where the shooters always worked, is intended only for operators of federal TV channels.

This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the Russian media.

On the eve of such a decision, Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin publicly reprimanded the Duma pool photographers at the plenary session, accusing them of allegedly deliberately trying to "show deputies in a bad way."

"When you get into the most different situations, pay attention, we never make fun of you, we never insult you and we don't bitch, simply put. And when you take from the balcony, catch the moments, but probably those moments, which in life and yours are present. It's not right," he said.

It's worth noting that recently many Rosdeputies very much disliked the way they "come out in photos". The United Russia party recently sent out a warning to its deputies about the presence of photojournalists in the chamber, urging them to be mindful of the possibility of getting in a close-up shot.

It is noteworthy that recently, on December 28, Vyacheslav Volodin thanked these same photographers, calling the Russian State Duma "the most open parliament in the world."