Russians Vote in Duma Election Seen as Test of Support for Ukraine War

Russians started casting ballots on Friday in a three-day election for the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, in a vote the Kremlin has cast as a demonstration of public backing for its military campaign in Ukraine.

The election is the first parliamentary contest since Russia launched its full-scale war in February 2022. It will decide the composition of the 450-seat Duma, and the pro-Putin United Russia party is widely expected to retain its commanding position in a political system with limited competition.

In a televised address before voting began, President Vladimir Putin said the electorate's choices would show that millions of people stand behind Russian soldiers and that the country cannot be divided or intimidated.

State television reinforced that message with an advertisement that moved from historical Russian military commanders to soldiers raising the national flag after a battlefield success in Ukraine. In a separate pre-vote gesture aimed at bolstering morale, bone fragments said to come from the sword hand of a medieval Russian prince who defeated the Mongols were sent to the front.

Voting is under way across Russia's 11 time zones. Putin cast his own ballot electronically from his Kremlin office, according to state media.

Most anti-war candidates were kept off the ballot. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the liberal Yabloko party, which advocates a ceasefire in Ukraine, had violated electoral rules — a finding the party rejected. Some Yabloko candidates are still contesting individual constituencies, which account for half of the Duma's seats. The party has traditionally drawn only single-digit support in opinion polls.

Before the vote, senior Yabloko figure Lev Shlosberg was sentenced to 11 years in prison over comments about the war, and deputy leader Maxim Kruglov received a seven-year sentence on similar charges in June. Discrediting the army or spreading what authorities deem fake news carries long jail terms.

At a Moscow polling station, voter Anatoliy Simonenko, 76, said he was calm about the post-election period amid speculation — which the authorities have repeatedly denied — that a new mobilisation wave could be announced. He said the outcome would probably fall between the most dire and most optimistic predictions, adding that war brings costs, defence spending and cuts to social benefits. Another voter, who did not give his name, said he believed results could be rigged and questioned the electronic voting system used in some regions. The electoral commission has dismissed such concerns as unfounded.

Some opinion polls indicate that support for peace talks has climbed above 60%, and the Kremlin has said repeatedly that it is ready to resume negotiations. It has also made clear that any settlement must leave it in full control of the entire Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, where its forces are pressing forward, and that it seeks a long-term deal rather than a ceasefire.

The vote comes as surveys suggest growing public anxiety about the conflict's impact. The economy is under strain, with fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries affecting some areas, while businesses contend with drone attacks on warehouses, high interest rates, labour shortages and Western sanctions. The Kremlin says national unity is essential, citing what it describes as increasingly dangerous efforts by Ukrainian intelligence and other adversaries to stir unrest inside Russia.

Initial partial results are expected from 1800 GMT on Sunday, with near-complete figures likely on Monday.