Russian politician and civil servant, long-time election watchdog
Russia has held a three-day parliamentary election from Sept. 18–20 that is set to return a United Russia-dominated State Duma. Most anti-war candidates were barred, the liberal Yabloko party was disqualified from the nationwide list, voting is being held in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, and Moscow reported large drone attacks and a sustained cyberattack on electronic voting in the capital.
Ukraine and Western officials condemn Russia-held elections in occupied territories as illegal while Putin underscores the vote’s purpose to showcase public backing for the war; observers report coercion and security-driven voting extensions.
Leaning on state support and controlled opposition, United Russia has maintained its grip on the State Duma as results count, with turnout around the mid-50s and official projections suggesting a constitutional majority.