Russia Begins Three-Day Parliamentary Vote Seen as Test of War Support
Voting has started in Russia's three-day parliamentary election, the first since the war in Ukraine began, with the ruling United Russia party expected to keep its dominance.
Voting opened on Friday in Russia's parliamentary election, a three-day exercise that President Vladimir Putin has presented as a measure of public backing for the war in Ukraine.
The ballot will decide the composition of the 450-seat State Duma, the lower house of parliament. It is the first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the pro-Putin United Russia party is widely expected to preserve its dominance in a political system that is tightly controlled.
Most candidates opposed to the war have been kept off the ballot. The Supreme Court ruled that the liberal Yabloko party, which advocates a ceasefire, had violated electoral rules, although some of its candidates are still contesting individual constituencies.
In a televised address before voting began, Putin said that casting a ballot would help secure victory in Ukraine and show national resolve in the face of outside pressure. The Kremlin argues that national unity is essential, citing what it describes as increasingly dangerous attempts by Ukrainian intelligence services and other adversaries to stir unrest inside Russia.
The election is being held as opinion polls indicate that some Russians have grown more anxious about how the conflict affects them. The economy is also under strain, and the authorities are expected to use the vote to assess the depth of war weariness in society, as fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes disrupt parts of the country and businesses contend with high interest rates, a labour shortage and Western sanctions.
Initial and partial results are expected to start emerging at 1800 GMT on Sunday, with near-complete results likely to be available on Monday.