2025 Krasnodar Krai gubernatorial election

Veniamin Kondratyev, Deputy Head of the Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation and former Deputy Governor of Krasnodar Krai, was appointed acting Governor of Krasnodar Krai in April 2015 after three-term incumbent Alexander Tkachov was appointed Minister of Agriculture of Russia.^[1] Kondratyev, officially an Independent, was nominated for a full term by United Russia and won the September 2015 election with 83.64% of the vote.^[2] Governor Kondratyev was perceived as vulnerable prior to the 2020 election,^[3] however, he received the approval of President Vladimir Putin to run for a second term and won it with 82.97% as a United Russia candidate.^[4][5]

Initially Governor of Krasnodar Krai was limited for just two consecutive terms so Kondratyev would have been term-limited in 2025. However, in December 2021 "On Common Principles of Organisation of Public Authority in the Subjects of the Russian Federation" law was enacted, which lifted term limits for Russian governors.^[6] Krasnodar Krai followed suit and lifted the restrictions, which allowed Kondratyev to seek another term in 2025.

In December 2024 two tankers fell apart in the Kerch Strait, causing a massive oil spill that hit the resort town of Anapa in Krasnodar Krai.^[7] In January 2025 President Putin criticised the authorities of Krasnodar Krai for insufficient fuel oil cleanup efforts,^[8] which could cause challenges for Kondratyev's re-election. Experts also claimed that to run for another term Kondratyev should also overcome tensions in the local elite.^[9]

In March 2025 during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin Governor Kondratyev announced his intention to run for a third term and received Putin's endorsement.^[10]

In Krasnodar Krai candidates for Governor of Krasnodar Krai can be nominated only by registered political parties. Candidate for Governor of Krasnodar Krai should be a Russian citizen and at least 30 years old. Candidates for Governor of Krasnodar Krai should not have a foreign citizenship or residence permit. Each candidate in order to be registered is required to collect at least 10% of signatures of members and heads of municipalities.^[11] Also gubernatorial candidates present 3 candidacies to the Federation Council and election winner later appoints one of the presented candidates.

Candidate name, political party			Occupation	Status	Ref.
Denis Khmelevskoy SR–ZP			Member of Legislative Assembly of Krasnodar Krai (2017–present) 2020 gubernatorial candidate	Registered	[12][13]
Veniamin Kondratyev United Russia			Incumbent Governor of Krasnodar Krai (2015–present)	Registered	[10][14] [15]
Aleksandr Safronov Communist Party			Member of Krasnodar City Duma (2020–present) Former Deputy Chairman of the City Duma (2020–2021) 2020 gubernatorial candidate	Registered	[16][17] [18]
Ivan Tutushkin Liberal Democratic Party			Member of Legislative Assembly of Krasnodar Krai (2017–present) 2020 gubernatorial candidate	Registered	[17][19]

• Anatoly Perepelin (United Russia), Head of Tikhoretsky District (2012–present)^[20]
• Andrey Vorushilin (United Russia), Head of Kurganinsky District (2015–present)^[20]

• Kaplan Panesh (LDPR), Member of State Duma (2021–present)^[21]
• Nikita Sirazetdinov (New People), aide to Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Vladislav Davankov^[22]

All sums are in rubles.