Chechen Republic, a Russian federal subject in the North Caucasus
Russia has held parliamentary elections with United Russia expected to cruise to victory. The vote, held under tightened censorship, is a gauge of public support for the war in Ukraine as Moscow claims drone attacks and calls for stability.
Preliminary results have shown President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia has secured about 57–58% of the party vote and is set to take roughly 355 of 450 State Duma seats after three days of voting. Turnout has been reported near 57–60%. Voting included polling in Crimea and four Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow; Western governments have denounced the ballot as uncompetitive and illegal in occupied territories.
Novaya Gazeta has announced it is ending operations after Russian authorities revoked its licence, cut funding channels and issued an eviction order. Editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov has said the security services have forced the newsroom to stop and that the paper will turn off its servers and vacate its Moscow office on November 9.