Davankov Vladislav Andreevich

Vice Speaker of the State Duma from the New People party

Born on February 25 1984 in Smolensk in the family of a military pilot. In 2006 Davankov graduated from the Faculty of History of Moscow State University, Department of Modern and Contemporary History, with a specialization in US history. In 2008 he received a PhD in sociological sciences from the Russian State Social University. In 2014 he graduated from the Moscow School of Management “Skolkovo”.

In 2020 Davankov joined Alexei Nechaev’s “New People” party, created by the Kremlin as a “liberals” party controlled by it, but Nechaev appeared in Vladislav’s biography even earlier. In 2013 Davankov took the post of vice president of the Faberlic cosmetics company founded by Nechaev and Vladislav’s uncle, Alexander Davankov. In 2017 he became the general director of the “Captains of Russia” educational program support fund, founded, again, by Alexey Nechaev. The foundation was engaged in educating young people in the field of entrepreneurship and training effective managers. According to the Meduza media, during the presidential elections, in which Davankov was a candidate, it was the students of the “Captains” faculty of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics who sent money to Davankov’s campaign, however it was the party itself that gave them the money. “These are Nechaev’s personal slaves, doing whatever he says,” said one of Meduza’s sources. In 2021 the New People party won seats in the State Duma without collecting voter signatures, and it was Vladislav Davankov who headed the campaign headquarters for the elections. Davankov entered the State Duma with the deputy mandate transferred to him by Kusmakov, and in the same year he received the post of vice-speaker of the State Duma. He is a member of the central council of the New People party. The first deputy leader of the 'New People' party faction since October 11 2021.

In 2018 Davankov became deputy general director of the non-profit organization “Russia - Land of Opportunities”, created by Vladimir Putin’s decree. The board of this organization included Sergei Kiriyenko, the first deputy head of the presidential administration, and it was allegedly through Vladislav Davankov and his connections with the Kremlin, that Alexey Nechaev was able to reach the internal political bloc of the president administration and the Kovalchuk brothers, that were the organizers of the new “liberal” Kremlin party idea.

In 2023 Vladislav Davankov participated in the elections for the mayor of Moscow, where he received only 5.34% of the vote, losing to Sergei Sobyanin.

At the time of January 2024, Davankov owned the Staritsa Avia company, which organizes parachute jumps, and a majority stake in the microfinance organization Asia Credit, which provides loans to citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Support for the war in Ukraine and repressive laws

Vladislav Davankov was registered as one of the candidates in the 2024 presidential elections. He acted as an “anti-war” and “liberal” candidate to simulate fair and competitive elections. In his program, he advocated peace negotiations with Ukraine, but “on our terms, and not a rollback.” Having expectedly lost the election to Putin, gaining 3.85% of the vote, Davankov congratulated him on his victory and stated that we have a common goal - victory in a special military operation. “Only you can win this fight,” Davankov conveyed the words of voters to Putin. In the same speech, Davankov admitted that he personally oversees the so-called Lugansk People's Republic in his party. For his result in the elections, Davankov’s party received more than 500 million rubles from the state budget, since according to the federal law “On Political Parties”, parties that nominated candidates who received more than 3% of the votes in the presidential elections receive a one-time payment of 152 rubles per voter.

Shortly after the elections, a concert “10 years in the home harbor” took place on Red Square in honor of the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. It was Putin himself who gave a speech at this concert, as well as other presidential candidates, who spoke in his support. “I will never forget the feeling of pride for my country and for my president exactly ten years ago. Congratulations on the holiday!” Vladislav Davankov said in his speech.

However, even before the elections Davankov supported the war and Putin’s policies as a State Duma MP. The Novaya Gazeta media has compiled a table of militaristic and repressive laws for which all candidates for the 2024 presidential election, including Vladislav Davankov, voted. In particular, Davankov voted for:

Ratification of treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with the DPR and LPR (which gave rise to the start of Russian invasion)

Recognition of referendums on the entry into Russia of the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.

Adoption of the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions into Russia.

Administrative responsibility for “discrediting” the army

Criminal liability for spreading “fake news” and repeated “discrediting” of the army

Life imprisonment for treason

Tougher criminal liability for voluntary surrender and failure to appear for conscription service during mobilization

Introduction of electronic draft notices

Obligation to hand over your passport if you are prohibited from leaving the country

Permission for the government to introduce special measures during military operations abroad

Deprivation of acquired Russian citizenship for actions threatening national security

Fines for equating the actions of the USSR and the Third Reich

Prohibition of LGBT propaganda

Prohibition of gender reassignment

Large fines for LGBT propaganda and gender reassignment

Denunciation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

Withdrawal of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Suspension of the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms

Granting PMC mercenaries the status of combat veterans

Expansion of the “Dima Yakovlev Law” to any foreigners

Abolition of constitutional (statutory) courts in the regions of Russia.

Vladislav Davankov is under sanctions from the United States, the European Union, Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Ukraine and New Zealand.