Mikhail Popov, an urbanist from Chelyabinsk who planned to run for the city council, has announced that he is ending his election campaign. He wrote about the decision on the morning of July 20 in his Telegram channel.
According to Popov, the reason is that he will not be able to gather the required number of signatures in time. To remain in the race, he needed to submit 205 signatures by July 24.
“I will not be able to collect 205 signatures by July 24, so I am forced to end my participation in this election campaign,” Popov wrote.
A week earlier, on July 13, police came to Popov’s home. According to reports, he tried to flee by jumping from the second floor and broke his spine.
Popov said that for now he intends to focus on recovery: following doctors’ recommendations, undergoing procedures, and regaining his strength step by step.
“What happens next will be shown by time. But one thing I know for certain: politics is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.
Popov is known for running a blog about public transport and urban improvement. He had planned to run for the Chelyabinsk city council as an independent candidate. The election in Chelyabinsk is scheduled for September 20, the unified voting day.