Russia reports cyberattacks on voting system during parliamentary elections

A series of cyberattacks targeted the Russian electronic voting system and telecommunications infrastructure during the ongoing parliamentary elections. Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Election Commission, reported that over 1,000 distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks were recorded over the voting period, which began on September 18 and is scheduled to conclude on September 20. Authorities characterized these incidents as professional, AI-driven operations originating from abroad, specifically citing evidence of Ukrainian interference. Despite these disruptions, officials stated that the situation remains under control and that the voting process is continuing.

These elections are the first for the State Duma since the start of the full-scale conflict in Ukraine in 2022. The process is being held across 11 time zones and, for the first time, includes Russian-occupied regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Prior to the vote, the Supreme Court disqualified the liberal Yabloko party from the ballot for alleged violations, though some candidates remain active in single-mandate districts. The ruling United Russia party, which has held power for 23 years, is widely expected to maintain its parliamentary majority.