Russia’s State Duma Appoints Yana Lantratova as New Human Rights Commissioner

Russia’s State Duma has officially appointed Yana Lantratova, a 37-year-old deputy from the A Just Russia party, as the country’s new human rights commissioner. She succeeds Tatyana Moskalkova, whose second five-year term expired in April, adhering to legal limits on consecutive terms. Lantratova, formerly associated with the Young Guard of United Russia, secured the position with significant political backing. Sources indicate support from Andrei Yarin, head of the domestic policy directorate within the Presidential Administration, and prominent filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov. The appointment draws international scrutiny due to serious allegations against Lantratova. Ukraine’s Security Service accuses her of involvement in deporting children from occupied Ukrainian regions, specifically Kherson. Reports suggest she and Inna Varlamova, wife of A Just Russia leader Sergei Mironov, forcibly removed underage children from a local home, with one child allegedly adopted by Mironov’s family. This development highlights the intersection of domestic Russian political appointments and ongoing controversies related to the conflict in Ukraine, raising concerns among Western observers about the future direction of human rights oversight in Russia under the new commissioner.