In early 2010, Ekaterina Dontsova painted a picture of herself discussing Russian President Vladimir Putin on a live primetime television program. Over a decade later, the relatively unknown journalist and mother of three from a small town in western Russia recalls this image as a humorous take on her civic engagement, but she also says it carries a "message about the future." Dontsova hopes to see her success in facing Putin in a runoff in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for March 2024, despite her lack of political experience and analysts' assessments that the Kremlin leader's strong grip on politics will secure him another term.
In her interview with the Associated Press in Moscow, the 40-year-old independent candidate stated that her "message of peace with Ukraine, the release of imprisoned government critics, and making Russia a 'humane state that cares about its citizens' concerns may give hope to people." She also opposes the military operation launched by the Kremlin in Ukraine, the decades-long centralization of power, and the handling of opposition.
Dontsova spoke with numerous activists and deputies about the upcoming elections, saying, "At some point, the idea occurred to me that it would be interesting to have a woman run against Putin, because that would be something different—strength against kindness." As a journalist turned activist and local deputy with a law degree, Dontsova weighs her words carefully to avoid violating Russian laws regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, she emphasized her desire to end the fighting in Ukraine quickly and for Moscow and Kyiv to sit down at the negotiating table, stating, "We want peace."
Dontsova began her career in Rzhev, a historic town of about 60,000 residents located 230 kilometers west of Moscow. She indicated that her work at a local television station instilled in her a passion for addressing people's concerns and gradually pushed her towards civic participation. She said, "I thought that I couldn't just observe what was happening; I needed to participate myself."
