Russians began three days of voting Friday in the country’s first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The vote will determine the composition of the 450-seat State Duma, with the ruling United Russia party expected to maintain its dominant position amid restrictions on anti-war opposition and criticism over voting taking place in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine.
Three Days of Voting Across Russia
Voting opened Friday in Russia’s Far East and is scheduled to continue through Sunday across the country’s 11 time zones. Authorities have spread the election over three days and introduced electronic voting as part of efforts to encourage participation among approximately 111 million eligible voters.
President Vladimir Putin cast his ballot electronically Friday, according to Russian state media. Ahead of the election, he urged Russians to use the vote to demonstrate national unity.
“Your choice and resolve will once again demonstrate that millions of people stand behind our fighters,” Putin said in an address before voting began.
Voters receive two ballots. Half of the State Duma’s 450 seats are awarded through voting for political parties, while the remaining seats are decided through individual constituency races.
United Russia Positioned to Retain Control
United Russia currently holds more than two-thirds of the seats in the State Duma and is widely expected to maintain control after the election. Other parties represented in parliament, including the Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party and A Just Russia, generally support the Kremlin on major issues, including the war in Ukraine.
The election comes after Russian authorities intensified restrictions on political dissent. Yabloko, the only registered political party that openly criticized the war, was removed from the nationwide party ballot by Russia’s Supreme Court in August, although some of its candidates remain in individual constituency contests. Several anti-war politicians have also been imprisoned or have left the country.
Russians Voice Different Hopes for the Future
Despite the heavily controlled political environment, Russians interviewed by The Associated Press expressed differing expectations about what they wanted from the election.
Some voters called for political change, while others expressed satisfaction with the parties already represented in parliament. Economic concerns, including pensions, inequality and the cost of living, were also among the issues raised by voters.
At a Moscow polling station, pensioner Galina Vavilova said ending the war was “the main thing, of course,” reflecting the concerns of some Russians after more than four years of fighting.
The election is taking place as Russia’s economy faces growing pressure from military spending, higher taxes, domestic borrowing and Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and other infrastructure. Government figures nevertheless continue to emphasize economic stability.
Voting Extends Into Ukrainian Territory
One of the most disputed aspects of the election is the inclusion of residents in Ukrainian territories controlled by Russia.
Voting is being conducted in four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claimed to annex following the 2022 invasion, despite not fully controlling them. Balloting is also taking place in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 in a move widely rejected internationally.
Associated Press journalists observed voting in Russian-held Donetsk, where an armed Russian soldier was present near a polling station. In Russian-controlled Luhansk, some polling stations relied on backup electricity after Russian officials said Ukrainian drone attacks damaged power lines.
Ukraine and European Union Reject Occupied-Territory Vote
Ukraine has denounced the organization of Russian elections in occupied Ukrainian territory and called on foreign governments and international organizations not to recognize the voting conducted there.
The European Union has taken a similar position. European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand described the voting in occupied areas as a violation of international law and said the EU would not recognize either the process or its results there. He also criticized Russia for not inviting observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The Russian government, by contrast, treats the annexed territories as part of Russia and is incorporating residents there into its national electoral system.
War Shapes Russia’s First Parliamentary Vote Since 2022
The election is unfolding against the backdrop of an increasingly visible war. Ukrainian long-range drone attacks have struck Russian refineries, logistics facilities and other targets, while Russian attacks on Ukraine continue.
Some Russian polling stations were temporarily affected by drone threats. Officials in Sochi briefly closed polling locations, while a station in the Krasnodar region was moved after a drone damaged windows at its original location, according to Russia’s Central Election Commission.
The wider economic environment has also changed. Russia’s economic growth has slowed after an earlier expansion driven partly by military spending, while the government has increased taxes and borrowing to finance a growing budget deficit.
Conclusion: A Vote With Few Political Surprises Expected
Russia’s three-day parliamentary election is expected to leave the fundamental balance of political power largely unchanged, with United Russia positioned to retain its commanding presence in the State Duma. The vote nevertheless carries significance because it is the country’s first parliamentary election during the full-scale war in Ukraine and extends into Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian forces.
While the Kremlin presents the election as an opportunity to demonstrate national unity and support for its policies, Ukraine and the European Union reject voting conducted in occupied Ukrainian territories, while critics point to restrictions on anti-war candidates and political opposition. Final results after voting concludes Sunday will determine the precise composition of the next State Duma.
