Russian Embassy in Addis Hosts State Duma Vote as Envoy Highlights Ties, BRICS, and National Dialogue

Russian citizens living in Ethiopia cast their ballots on Sunday, September 20, at Polling Station No. 8351 at the Embassy of Russia in Addis Ababa, taking part in elections for the ninth convocation of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament.

The polling station opened at 8:00am Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeny Terekhin was among the first to vote, noting that Moscow had established 333 overseas polling stations across 152 countries to enable external voting.

Ambassador Terekhin stated that the embassy expected up to 200 Russian nationals to vote in Addis Ababa.

Speaking on bilateral relations, Terekhin emphasized that expanding Russia-Ethiopia cooperation relies on global stability. “We need more stable and peaceful conditions,” he said.

Addressing internal Ethiopian developments, the ambassador commended the ongoing National Dialogue initiative, highlighting that plat-forming diverse societal views and grievances through open discussion remains essential for resolving national challenges.

On broader multilateral ties, Terekhin pointed to Ethiopia’s entry into BRICS, noting that the bloc provides fresh momentum for cooperation in economic development, transport infrastructure, and humanitarian affairs.

Senior Counselor and election committee member Alexey Chesnakov confirmed that the station would operate through the afternoon, after which votes cast across African nations would be compiled and transmitted to Moscow.

Under Russian electoral law, final results for the State Duma elections are scheduled to be officially declared by October 5.