Saint-Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is Russia’s second-largest metropolis and one of the main economic centers, driven by high-tech industry, IT, and major federal companies such as Gazprom. Historically, the city was home to Russia’s strongest branch of the liberal party Yabloko. By 2026, the opposition had been largely dismantled: long-time party leader Boris Vishnevsky lost his mandate after being labeled a “foreign agent”, while the remaining Yabloko deputies were convicted under “extremism” charges. By March 2026, Saint Petersburg had become one of Russia’s leading regions by number of criminal cases for spreading “fake news” and “discrediting” the Russian army.
