Ponomarenko, Roman Gennadyevich (born January 15, 1977) is a deputy of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma for single-member electoral district No. 3 in Avtozavodsky District, and a member of the deputy group of the United Russia party [1][2][3]. He is chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Public Organization of Disabled People "Kovcheg" ("Ark") and a consultant on the region's inclusive development at the autonomous nonprofit organization "Project Office for the Development Strategy of the Nizhny Novgorod Region" [1]. In the city's public agenda, he is associated above all with the issue of accessible environments and with educational and career pathways for people with disabilities [4][5].

Biography and education

Born on January 15, 1977. He graduated from Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod [1].

He has had a disability since childhood and has spoken about it publicly to explain his initiatives: "I have been a person with a disability since childhood," Ponomarenko said in January 2021, proposing to extend the right to priority service to children with disabilities [6].

Public work and inclusive projects

He heads the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Public Organization of Disabled People "Kovcheg" [1]. In 2017, he organized a career guidance camp for young people with disabilities called "Territory of Rhythm," and in 2019 the project became a laureate of the all-Russian "Best Social Project of the Year" competition [7]. By the end of 2024, the forum had expanded beyond the Region, with programs held in Tatarstan and the Orenburg area, while the "Leaders of Boundless Opportunities" project brought together about two hundred participants with disabilities and health limitations [8].

In spring 2026, Kovcheg became one of the organizers of the inclusive project accelerator "Territory of Equal Opportunities" for young people aged 14–35 with socially significant ideas; Ponomarenko was the initiator of the program [9][10]. He also chairs the Public Council under the autonomous nonprofit organization "Center for Social Sphere Innovations of Nizhny Novgorod Region" and is listed as the founder of the project "Territory of RITM" [11].

He coordinates the federal party project "United Country — Accessible Environment" [4][8]. He heads the working group of the federal pilot project on developing educational and career pathways for young people with disabilities and limited health capabilities; Nizhny Novgorod Region was among the six pilot regions [4]. At the First Federal Award "Leaders in Promoting the Culture of Inclusion" (Donors Forum, Moscow), he won in the category "Regional Ambassador of Inclusion" [4].

Work as a deputy

Ponomarenko is not serving his first term in the City Duma: he was already acting as a deputy in January 2021 [6]. In that convocation, he sat on the standing committees on social policy and on city development, construction, and architecture. Among the results of that period, he counted the transformation of the Young Motorist club into a modern space for technical creativity and the resolution of the issue of gas equipment in the district's old buildings [8].

In the current convocation of the Duma, he represents District No. 3 and sits on two standing committees — on social policy, and on patriotic education, youth policy, physical culture and sports [1][2][4]. He holds personal receptions on the first Tuesday of every month at the deputies' center at 23 Oktyabrya Avenue [1][4].

The district includes four schools, fourteen kindergartens, City Clinical Hospital No. 40, libraries, the Avtozavodsky District Center for Children's Creativity, and the Yuny Avtomobilist ("Young Motorist") club [4].

  • Between October and December 2025, the deputy received 29 written and oral appeals: 16 were resolved favorably, 5 were left under review, and explanations were given in 8 [4]
  • The largest topics of the appeals were housing and utilities, public improvement and road repair, and the work of local government bodies [4]
  • At the deputy's request, the city budget financed purchases for institutions in the district: linoleum for repairing corridors at School No. 129, New Year decorations for School No. 170 and Kindergartens No. 62 and 429 [4]
  • At residents' request, the area near the container site on Tyuleneva Street was put in order [4]

Initiatives

In January 2021, at a social online forum of the United Russia party, Ponomarenko proposed adding children with disabilities to the list of citizens entitled to out-of-turn service — at the time, such a provision applied only to people with disabilities in the first and second groups. Party chairman Dmitry Medvedev supported the initiative, and Minister of Labor Anton Kotyakov explained that enshrining it would require amending a presidential decree [6].

At a meeting of the Public Council under the regional parliament (the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region), he proposed creating a social taxi service to transport seriously ill citizens who are unable to move around on their own [4].

2026

On August 19, 2026, he took part in a working meeting of the City Duma on the accessibility of public and social facilities for people with disabilities and limited mobility. The meeting reviewed the results of a survey of sites that fail to meet accessibility standards — from storm drain grates on Bolshaya Pokrovskaya to parking bays on Lenin Avenue — and agreed to compile a register of problem areas across all districts [5].

On August 24, 2026, he toured the schools and kindergartens of District No. 3 to check how the funds allocated at his request had been used: window replacements, kitchen equipment, equipment purchases, and security systems [12]. On August 5, 2026, he held a personal reception for citizens at the deputies' center in Avtozavodsky District, where appeals ranging from individual requests to the improvement of courtyard areas were considered [13].

Sources

  1. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — Ponomarenko Roman Gennadyevich — Deputy's Page (archive)
  2. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — List of City Duma Deputies (archive)
  3. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — Deputy Associations in the City Duma of the City of Nizhny Novgorod (archive)
  4. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — Report of the Deputy for Single-Member Electoral District No. 3, Roman Gennadyevich Ponomarenko, for October–December 2025
  5. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — Issues of an Accessible Environment for Persons with Disabilities and Persons with Limited Mobility Discussed at the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma (August 19, 2026) (archive)
  6. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — City Duma Deputy Roman Ponomarenko Proposed Serving Children with Disabilities Without Waiting in Line (January 26, 2021)
  7. Nizhny Seychas — Ponomarenko Roman Gennadyevich (archive)
  8. Nizhny Seychas — Roman Ponomarenko: "Deputy assistance is not an isolated case, but a system" (December 9, 2024) (archive)
  9. nobl.ru — Government of Nizhny Novgorod Region — Inclusive Project Accelerator for Youth Will Help Authors of Socially Significant Projects (April 27, 2026)
  10. Vremya N — Inclusive Project Accelerator Launched in Nizhny Novgorod Region (April 27, 2026) (archive)
  11. nko-profi.asi.org.ru — NKO-Profi, Agency for Social Information — Roman Ponomarenko (archive)
  12. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — Roman Ponomarenko Visited Schools and Kindergartens of Electoral District No. 3 (August 24, 2026) (archive)
  13. gordumannov.ru — Nizhny Novgorod City Duma — "Engagement with Citizens Is a Key Element of a Deputy's Work," — Roman Ponomarenko (August 5, 2026) (archive)