United Russia secures victory in parliamentary elections amidst war

Russia held three-day parliamentary elections from September 18 to 20, 2026, to elect 450 members of the State Duma. These were the first parliamentary elections since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The governing party, United Russia, secured a significant lead, with preliminary results showing it garnered approximately 57.8% of the vote, which is expected to maintain its two-thirds constitutional majority in parliament. Other parties, including the Communist Party and the LDPR, are projected to hold seats but generally align with Kremlin policies.

Only parties supporting President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing military campaign were allowed to participate, while opposition groups like Yabloko were excluded. Voting also took place in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, despite a lack of international recognition for these annexations. The electoral process was marked by significant security challenges, including a major drone attack on the Moscow region on the final day of voting, which officials claimed was intended to disrupt the democratic proceedings.

Official reports indicated a voter turnout of 56.66%, a figure higher than previous cycles. The government framed the election as a referendum on public support for the war, which remains in its fifth year with massive casualties reported on both sides.