The election was Russia’s first parliamentary vote since the war with Ukraine began in February 2022. President Vladimir Putin linked the election to national unity and support for Russian soldiers. United Russia is on course to retain a constitutional majority, with preliminary results indicating that it could secure 355 of the 450 State Duma seats.
The Russian government had kept parties and candidates openly opposing the war out of the main national party-list contest. The opposition Yabloko party, which has opposed the war, was not included on the federal party-list ballot, although its candidates continued to contest single-member constituencies. As a result, the federal party-list contest was dominated by parties supporting the government’s policies.
Voting took place over three days, with turnout approaching 57%, higher than the 51.72% recorded in the 2021 State Duma election. More than 111 million voters were eligible to cast ballots, including through polling stations and remote electronic voting.
The election’s final day was marked by a major Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and surrounding areas. Russian authorities said more than 1,600 Ukrainian drones were intercepted since Saturday, including around 450 heading towards Moscow. The attack was described by Moscow officials as the largest drone attack on the capital to date.
The strikes also damaged a major oil refinery in Moscow. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said several drones reached the territory of the Moscow Oil Refinery, while Russian authorities reported deaths and damage in the Moscow region. Initial reports said at least two people had been killed, including a 44-year-old woman and an elderly man. Later Russian reports put the death toll at three after another person died from injuries.
The Moscow mayor said the oil refinery had suffered damage, although there were no reports of casualties at the refinery itself. The attack took place as Russians were casting ballots on the final day of the parliamentary election. Russian officials said the strikes were intended to disrupt the electoral process, while Ukraine has continued its long-range attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Russia may now launch a retaliatory strike against Ukraine. Following the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump. Zelensky later said he thanked Trump for signing a bill imposing measures related to Russian oil purchases.
With United Russia maintaining its dominant position in the 450-seat State Duma and the election concluding amid intensified attacks between Russia and Ukraine, the results are set to shape the composition of Russia’s parliament as the war continues.
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