Moscow Polling Stations Open for Russia's Parliamentary Election

Polling stations in Moscow opened for Russia's parliamentary election, with workers making final preparations and observers present as voting got underway.

At one station in the capital, a woman was registered before walking to a voting machine to cast her ballot. A man was also seen receiving ballot papers and entering a voting booth. Information posters listing candidates were on display, and voting machines and ballot boxes were in place.

Speaking to reporters, Galina Vavilova, an 82-year-old pensioner and Moscow resident, said she hoped for improvement and an end to the war. "Everyone wants peace, that's what it comes down to," she said, adding that she wanted the country's soldiers to be safe.

Lyudmila Kalinina, 79, also a pensioner in Moscow, said she wanted life to stabilise for the better and an end to the divide between the very rich and the very poor, noting that many people face hardship.

Vladimir Chubarev, a 72-year-old professor in Moscow, described the situation as complex. He said he wished for success for the government's important initiatives and, of course, for victory.

The vote is taking place under Russian restrictions on reporting related to the ongoing military operation in Ukraine.