Mayoral conflict pushes for Moscow and oblast unification
In mid-December, the Moscow Oblast Duma raised the question of holding a referendum on the annexation of the region to Moscow. The very situation where deputies are seriously discussing such an initiative already causes significant public resonance. Because even Troitsk — the last of the cities annexed to the capital in 2012 — «pulled it off» without any referendums.
The idea to unite Moscow and the oblast was conceived in Lyubertsy. Moreover, this is already the second attempt. But what if behind a handful of activists lies not a real desire, but an information or even political war? And the prospect of merging regions under current conditions was initially impossible and created only for buzz around the current authorities?
MSK1.RU found out that this initiative is closely linked to the war of two politicians. And not just anyone, but entire mayors — former and current. How ordinary residents of Lyubertsy and the entire oblast became hostages of the confrontation of big chairs.
Referendum discussed in Moscow Oblast Duma
On 28 November 2025, the election commission sent to the Moscow Oblast Duma a decision on the petition of an initiative group that proposed holding a referendum to unite Moscow and Moscow Oblast. The question proposed for the referendum reads: «Do you agree that Moscow Oblast should be annexed to the city of Moscow and become part of a federal-level subject?»
It is important to note that information about this initiative from citizens (not yet named) was sent to the president, the Federation Council, the State Duma, as well as the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation. These procedures are provided for by current laws.
As a result, the issue was considered by the Committee on State Power and Regional Security under the Moscow Oblast Duma. It includes four people: Alexander Baranov, Nikolay Cherkasov, Larisa Lazutina — all from «United Russia» — and Alexander Naumov from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF). They decided that the initiative was drawn up with violations, and the question does not comply with laws.
In the end, all 40 deputies present at the meeting in the Moscow Oblast Duma voted to reject the initiative.
Meanwhile, as MSK1.RU learned, the commission of the Committee on State Power of the Moscow Oblast Duma even noted positive aspects in the initiative.
«The initiative to hold a referendum comes from a group of citizens of the Russian Federation, which reflects civic activity and a desire to change the situation in the region,» is stated in the conclusion point of the commission.
The resolution document cited a quote from the author: «This entire initiative originates from the repulsiveness of the leadership of local authorities, the lack of control of regional authorities over local self-government bodies.»
Among the positive aspects, deputies noted that, according to the authors of the initiative, living in Moscow would be better — the level of medicine and road quality would rise. And as an example, they cited the districts and cities of New Moscow.
In total, the committee found only four positive points in the very proposal to hold a referendum. But they added as many as six points to the negatives. Among them:
the authors did not ask Muscovites if they want to accept their neighbors;
the authors incorrectly formulated the question;
the initiative does not comply with federal law;
the initiative contradicts the Constitution;
the authors did not indicate the economic benefit from annexation to Moscow;
the Moscow Oblast Duma is not authorized to make a decision on holding a vote of such scale due to the need for constitutional amendments.
In the end, the negatives outweighed the positives, and the topic of the referendum seemed to be closed.
Who came up with the referendum
As MSK1.RU managed to find out, the authors of the idea to hold a referendum — all from Lyubertsy. There are 76 people in the initiative group, and the main one is Alexey Alexeyevich Lazutin.
As Alexey Alexeyevich told us, this is not the first action carried out by local residents. Previously, those dissatisfied with the policies of Lyubertsy administration head Vladimir Volkov demanded that the Council of Deputies initiate a referendum on merging with Moscow. But then it was shut down even at the discussion level in the municipality.
As a result, the group decided to come forward with another idea and propose considering it at the level of the entire Moscow Oblast.
«The example of TiNAO (Troitsky and Novomoskovsky Administrative Okrugs, New Moscow) inspires improving life under the leadership of the Moscow government,» explained Alexey Alexeyevich. «Certainly, there will be no double billing for utilities. There is no desire to remain in Moscow Oblast, as no requests from residents are fulfilled, unless it»s a group of determined people ready to attack the administration for months through appeals to the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General«s Office.»
Moreover, in the opinion of the initiative«s author, the difference in living standards is visible not only in bureaucracy.
«You can walk from Lyubertsy to the South-Eastern Administrative District (SEAD), everything is done better, simply no ruined lawns after curb laying,» specified Alexey Lazutin. «Deputies don»t see the difference — that«s their job, but we see a six-year construction of an overpass, while in Moscow they built the Third Transport Ring (TTK) in 6 years, and they did it not because of robots or genius workers, but because of the control by the Moscow government, which is aimed at results and improving life.»
He also stated that there are currently six lawsuits in courts due to constant refusals to hold the referendum from deputies and authorities of Lyubertsy and Moscow Oblast.
«We submitted the same applications and petition to the Moscow Election Commission and again to the Moscow Oblast election commission, attaching copies,» added Alexey. «We have already sent a lawsuit to the Krasnogorsky District Court and all our petitions, they will reach Comrade Krasnov and reach the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.»
Meanwhile, according to Alexey Lazutin, he is acting to improve the life of Lyubertsy residents. His main task is to show that in the city and oblast, there is dissatisfaction with the policies conducted by Vladimir Volkov, as well as the response to these grievances by Moscow Oblast Governor Andrey Vorobyov.
What does Volkov and Ruzhitsky have to do with it
The picture seems simple: residents of the city, in Lazutin«s opinion, are dissatisfied with the policies of head Vladimir Volkov and want to go to Moscow. But in reality, everything is not so clear-cut. It turned out that the threads of this and similar initiatives lead to a specific person, whose name is familiar to almost all residents of Lyubertsy. And in the highest echelons of local power, they know perfectly well about their confrontation. But everything in order.
The head of the initiative group for the referendum, Alexey Lazutin, previously worked in the Lyubertsy administration as head of the consumer market, services, and advertising department. This was still under former mayor Vladimir Ruzhitsky.
When in 2022 Vladimir Volkov left the post of mayor of Yaroslavl and became deputy head of Lyubertsy, Lazutin moved to the economic development department of the municipality of the city of Dzerzhinsky. He worked there at least until 2023 inclusive. Volkov, meanwhile, edged out Ruzhitsky and took over the district.
According to former deputy of the Lyubertsy urban district Irina Astakhova, with Volkov«s arrival, serious changes affected not only Lazutin. They touched almost the entire team of Ruzhitsky in the administration, and over time, a large-scale restructuring in the housing and utilities sector began.
«Here the scythe found a stone, since Ruzhitsky did not want to voluntarily give up something, some benefits there, Volkov seemed to force everything to be squeezed out. Now in the housing and utilities sector in Lyubertsy, everything is completely under his people. That is, he fully replaced all of Ruzhitsky»s people with his own. He regularly brings people from Yaroslavl,« Irina Astakhova said in a conversation with MSK1.RU.
And indeed, since Vladimir Volkov moved in 2022 from Yaroslavl to Moscow Oblast, among the deputy heads of Lyubertsy, 7 out of 10 people have changed. Only three retained their posts. And now rumors are circulating that he continues to gather his own around him. Recently, it became known that Yaroslav Ovcharov, who joined Volkov«s team in 2019, is resigning from the Yaroslavl mayor»s office. As clarified by a source at MSK1.RU, he is expected to start work in Lyubertsy any day now.
«Ruzhitsky — he is really a manager with experience, some wisdom, although in many ways we disagreed,» added Astakhova. «Volkov creates the impression of a businessman who is engaged not in power, but in a commercial project. Their war is felt. Those who were related to the authorities and had access to all offices now see how the situation is changing. Changing radically, and for the worse.»
Redistribution of power and business
But that«s not all that changed with Volkov»s rise to power. About 3-4 years ago, the business of Ruzhitsky and his partners was hit with unscheduled inspections and claims from municipal authorities.
Former mayor of Lyubertsy and his son Alexander own a 1/3 share in the Malakhovsky Experimental Plant (MEP). In 2024, its net profit amounted to 134 million rubles (approximately $1.3 million at current rates) with total revenue of 249 million rubles (approximately $2.5 million). Over the last 3 years, the plant had 5 unscheduled inspections.
Moreover, in 2023, there was an unscheduled inspection of the developer «KIT», which is one-quarter owned by Ruzhitsky«s wife — Valentina, a violation was found and a warning issued. The next year, with two unscheduled inspections, they came to the developer »Malakhovka Investstroy«, which built the residential complex »Dom v Malakhovke«. It is also one-quarter owned by the ex-mayor»s wife.
As several sources told MSK1.RU, including former and current politicians of Lyubertsy, the Lazutin family has long been connected with Vladimir Ruzhitsky.
The elder Lazutin owns a 1/3 share in the company LLC «Kalisto», which owns a plot of 3.4 thousand square meters in the area of house No. 8 in Zelyony Lane in Lyubertsy. Currently, there is a paid parking lot there. The administration in 2024 tried to sue «Kalisto» for over 1 million rubles (approximately $10,000) for unjust enrichment from 2019 to 2024. But managed to recover through the court only 93 thousand rubles (approximately $930).
But back to politics. After Volkov«s arrival, Ruzhitsky moved to the position of chairman of the council of deputies of Lyubertsy. But he did not last long there. In April 2025, after the scandalous merger of Lyubertsy and Dzerzhinsky, elections were held to the local Council of Deputies. Then Ruzhitsky lost his mandate, the chairman position, and, as a result, political weight in Lyubertsy.
Interestingly, after this, Ruzhitsky stopped active activity on social networks. As if along with the mandate, his desire to improve the quality of life of Lyubertsy residents and help locals, which is at the root of deputy activity, was taken away. People sympathetic to him began to worry that Vladimir Ruzhitsky probably decided to retire.
It seems that this is indeed the case. Only on a peculiar rest by political measures, he was sent by Vladimir Volkov. As if as a «consolation,» he established in August 2025 the Council of Honorary Citizens of Lyubertsy headed by Vladimir Ruzhitsky.
For some reason, the ex-mayor does not cover his work in this council on his social media pages. MSK1.RU could not even find a website for this public institution. And over the past six months, the only mention of its activity was published... on Volkov«s social networks. In October, the mayor of Lyubertsy reported »on the approval of work directions and plan of events until the end of 2025 and for 2026, as well as on assigning responsible speakers for each direction.« What the council did the previous three months and what it does now — is unclear.
War of two mayors — no secret to anyone?
In Irina Astakhova«s opinion, many in the administration are still close to Ruzhitsky. Some were fired by Volkov, some left on their own and are dissatisfied with the policies of the current mayor.
«I know people and their attitude towards the administration. Ruzhitsky also sees all this, because he communicates with many people,» summarized Astakhova. «And I think that this, as it were, fuels his fuse. So it»s unlikely that anything will stop here. That is, the confrontation will continue.«
Lyubertsy activist and assistant to a State Duma deputy from the KPRF Kirill Pozdnyakov expressed a similar opinion about the situation in the district.
«Much larger-scale events are happening in the city of Lyubertsy in the field of redistribution of spheres of influence between »Ruzhitsky«s people» and «Volkov»s new people«. Mainly, this concerns construction and business,» believes Pozdnyakov. «A banal example — tents and trading points of businessmen close to the former administration of Ruzhitsky are being demolished, and in their place, new ones are being erected, belonging to other entrepreneurs, it»s clear whose. The same applies to various paid parking lots, minibus taxis, and more.«
In his view, Vladimir Ruzhitsky is now set on one thing — to oust Vladimir Volkov, and it seems the governor has already paid attention to the scandal in the region.
In October, a closed meeting was held in the Moscow Oblast government under the leadership of a vice-governor with heads of urban districts and municipal formations. According to documents, based on work assessment, the head of Lyubertsy — Vladimir Volkov — was recognized as the worst leader. According to officials« assessment, only 10% of surveyed residents of the district are satisfied with his work. Read more in our material.
Pozdnyakov does not exclude that Volkov«s departure also will not be a panacea for Lyubertsy.
«The most important thing is that in this »frenetic activity,« there is no place for the interests of local residents,» said the assistant to the State Duma deputy. «Absolutely failed work in the housing and utilities sector, reconstruction of social facilities, cleaning of territories, for example, with the past two-day snowstorm on holidays, Volkov»s team barely copes, and so in many areas. By the way, the same depressing picture was under Ruzhitsky, which allows us to conclude that from changing heads and their administrations, Lyubertsy residents have not started living better.«
The editorial interlocutor cited one of the most painful topics in Lyubertsy — housing and communal services.
«People wanted to go to Moscow because there is a failure in housing and utilities in the city. Just think, JSC »Lyuberetsky Gorodskoi Zhilishchny Trest« — the largest management company of Lyubertsy — turned out to be on the verge of bankruptcy, a lawsuit was filed against them for insolvency with a demand to recover 20 million rubles (approximately $200,000),» said Kirill Pozdnyakov.
As MSK1.RU found out, on 29 October, the company indeed received a lawsuit demanding it be declared insolvent. But a week later, the lawsuit was left without movement, while no new lawsuits have been received. The company itself is established and partially owned by the Lyubertsy administration.
Locals fear that this bankruptcy could lead to the collapse of housing and utilities in the city. And instead of a large management company, the Lyubertsy administration may bring in new private operators or beneficiaries close to Vladimir Volkov, believes Kirill Pozdnyakov.
Lazutin together with Ruzhitsky?
Sources of MSK1.RU in Lyubertsy believe that the referendum and similar initiatives may be Ruzhitsky«s response to the burial of his political career by Volkov, as well as numerous attacks on business.
Ruzhitsky himself did not answer questions from MSK1.RU, suggesting sending him a written request. For several weeks, he did not respond to the correspondent«s message in the messenger.
But Alexey Lazutin (junior) flatly denies his connection with former mayor Ruzhitsky. He believes that this version is one of the attempts by the Lyubertsy administration to discredit the initiative group.
«They need to come up with some beautiful story,» Alexey Lazutin stated to the MSK1.RU correspondent. «That it»s not us, but Ruzhitsky. But what is he doing now as an advisor? If the administration thinks that these are Ruzhitsky«s people doing it to undermine, then why does the ex-head participate in meetings and sit in an office in the administration?»
Lazutin claims that it is not profitable for him to engage in this and he does not meddle in politics. Moreover, he had a conversation directly with Volkov, who also recommended him «not to meddle in politics.»
«During a meeting in his office, he told me that he would go over like a steamroller over everything we have,» said Lazutin and added. «Well, it»s funny. This is 2025, not «95. If this were in some political underbelly, it wouldn»t be worth the candle.«
We clarified what problems the initiative group faced since the idea of the referendum originated — spring 2025.
«There is some pressure from the administration, but I wouldn»t want to just describe it, it«s pointless,» stated Lazutin.
MSK1.RU contacted several independent sources in the Lyubertsy administration. Contrary to the politicians« opinion, the editorial interlocutors insist on the absence of connections between Lazutin»s initiatives and the activities of Vladimir Ruzhitsky. And the interested parties in this story can only be among businessmen. Moreover, anonymous officials assured that they had not heard anything about the conflict between Volkov and Ruzhitsky.
It was not possible to contact Vladimir Volkov directly. The Lyubertsy administration commented on the question of holding a referendum for us.
«The Territorial Election Commission (TIK) of the city of Lyubertsy has repeatedly refused to register the initiative group for holding a local referendum on the issue of annexing the Lyubertsy urban district to the city of Moscow due to the inconsistency of the proposed referendum question with issues of local significance,» reported the press service of the head of the Lyubertsy urban district. «The refusals contested by representatives of the initiative group were recognized as lawful and justified in court. The court decisions have entered into legal force.»
How the referendum story affected other cities
The story about the referendum went far beyond one city. Although Lyubertsy in the Moscow Oblast government was recognized as one of the most problematic cities, problems have not been solved for years in many districts of Moscow Oblast.
The MSK1.RU correspondent contacted deputy from Pushkino Olga Privalova. She said that among local residents, the initiative for unification found a great response.
«I judge based on messages sent to me and discussions in groups,» summarized Olga Privalova. «There are two opinions. The first states that Moscow Oblast is a separately taken region and putting such questions to a referendum might deprive us of some authenticity. But a much larger number of the population from those I communicate with believe that it would be better if we joined Moscow to have more opportunities.»
According to her, residents of Pushkino believe that the capital«s authorities will pay more attention to the problems of the population.
«Many highly appreciate Sobyanin»s work, and on shortlists he always takes first place among all heads of subjects,« added the deputy from Pushkino. »Plus, actually, parks, some improvement, infrastructure, landscaping. But, alas, precisely the problems of landscaping and ecology are far from first place in Moscow Oblast, unfortunately. Although we endlessly report this to the governor.«
The deputy is sure that as a separately taken initiative from Lyubertsy, this may not work. Therefore, she suggests that activists who support and share the ideas of holding a referendum unite their efforts.
«I think we lack the involvement of other cities of Moscow Oblast. It is worth adding activists to this initiative and expanding efforts, as people from some districts do not know the problems of others, but it is worth looking for like-minded people,» summarized Olga Privalova.
Similar sentiments appeared among residents of Khimki. This was told by municipal deputy Antonina Stetsenko. According to her, many residents see a whole range of advantages in living in Moscow and believe that annexation will solve accumulated problems in Moscow Oblast.
«There are locals, quite a few of them, and they really ask for Khimki to be annexed to Moscow. Three key points can be highlighted: medicine, transport and social programs, utility tariffs,» stated the ex-deputy of Khimki. «For example, I have neighbors who were forced to register their daughter in Moscow. She has many congenital pathologies, she needs access to narrow-profile specialists who are not in Moscow Oblast, but are in the capital. Heating tariffs are one of the highest in Khimki, but no one knows why. And there is much similar.»
Meanwhile, in the opinion of the ex-deputy of the Moscow Oblast city, the referendum initiative does not answer another — more important question.
«I suggest looking from the other side. Why do we need Moscow?» Antonina asked. «We still have enterprises that pay quite large sums. We have three factories, we have the Sheremetyevo district, we have »Mega«. Now I don»t know the situation on tax collections. But earlier Khimki was considered a donor municipality. One of five donors in Moscow Oblast. If our position remained the same, then Moscow Oblast will not give us up to Moscow so easily.«
Therefore, Antonina Stetsenko believes that unification under such circumstances can only lead to the worsening of Khimki«s position, without proper guarantees and interest from Moscow.
Earlier MSK1.RU detailed why residents of Dzerzhinsky spoke against merging with Lyubertsy. Moreover, we reported why the head of administration Vladimir Volkov turned out to be one of the worst in the rating of municipal heads.
We also detailed what is known about the people who manage Lyubertsy.
