Alexey Shitik

In 2017 Shitik was running for mayor of Asino while being a candidate of "Yabloko" party, however, he gave way to a candidate from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party. Following the election he spoke up about pressure from the authorities and fled Russia in 2018 when he received an anonymous note with a death threat which said that "if he didn't shut his mouth then his relatives would be burying him". Shitik also was informed that the prosecutor office of Tomsk had been planning to initiate a criminal prosecution against him. On 1 August 2022 Mr Shitik's parents' place was searched by the authorities.