United Russia Keeps Majority as Putin Weighs Election Mandate

Near-complete results have confirmed that the ruling United Russia party retained its decisive majority in the national parliament, in an election held under a tightly controlled political system that barred most candidates opposed to Moscow's war in Ukraine.

For President Vladimir Putin, in power as president or prime minister for more than a quarter of a century, the outcome offers several uses. Having framed the vote as a test of support for the war, he is expected to cite the results as evidence that most Russians back his decision to keep fighting until key war aims are met.

The conflict has lasted far longer than many Russians anticipated, and its effects are increasingly visible at home. Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory have escalated, with Moscow targeted in the largest such attack of the war so far. Civilian casualties, though much lower than in Ukraine, have risen sharply this year. Strikes on oil refineries have caused fuel shortages, while businesses contend with drone attacks on warehouses, and polling suggests growing anxiety among some Russians.

The election also appears set to elevate a group of veterans. Putin has described those who fought in Ukraine as "warriors" and part of a new "elite" destined for prestigious careers. With roughly 200 veterans who stood for various parties on track to enter parliament, the president is expected to present their success as proof that the state rewards those who risked their lives, and that battlefield service can lead to high political office. The example could also encourage more people to enlist.

On the international stage, Putin has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, noting that his five-year term expired in May 2024 and that no new election has been held since. Martial law imposed in Ukraine in 2022 prohibits wartime elections, and the constitution provides that the president serves until a newly elected successor takes office. Facing Western criticism of Russia's own political system, Putin may use the vote to argue that Russia, unlike Ukraine, has adhered to its electoral calendar and given citizens a chance to vote.

The Kremlin has also sought to project a sense of normality. Holding a relatively smooth parliamentary election across 11 time zones while waging war could help reassure Russians that pre-war practices remain intact and that life largely continues despite the conflict — a message made harder by increasingly destructive Ukrainian drone strikes in the war's fifth year.

Speculation about a post-election mobilisation to expand the army has been dismissed by Putin as "nonsense," a suggestion he characterized as malicious and designed to sow panic. Domestic and foreign critics of the war nonetheless fear the outcome could be used to justify such a move, citing what Western intelligence agencies describe as heavy Russian losses and a push to accelerate territorial gains. Those critics also worry that authorities may adopt more repressive measures once the results are formalized and the pre-election atmosphere is no longer needed. They point to previously floated plans to have mobile operators charge customers extra for using more than 15 gigabytes of foreign data in a month — a proposal seen as targeting users of VPNs to reach banned sites and apps. Authorities have given no public indication they intend to revive the plan soon.