Voting gets underway in Russia in tightly-controlled parliamentary election

Voting gets underway in a three-day parliamentary election in Russia, which President Vladimir Putin has framed as a barometer of support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

It is the first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022, and the vote — which will determine the make-up of the 450-seat lower house of parliament, the State Duma — is widely expected to see the ruling pro-Putin United Russia party retain its dominance in what is a tightly controlled political system.

Most anti-war candidates have been excluded from the ballot after the Supreme Court ruled that the liberal Yabloko party — which wants a ceasefire — had breached electoral rules, although some Yabloko candidates are still running in individual constituencies.

In a televised address to the nation ahead of the vote, Putin said that casting a vote would help secure Russia’s victory in Ukraine and demonstrate national resolve in the face of external pressure. The Kremlin says national unity is vital because of what it says are increasingly dangerous efforts by Ukraine’s intelligence services and other enemies to stir unrest inside Russia.

Voting is taking place at a time when opinion polls show some Russians have become more anxious about how the conflict affects them. The economy is also under strain, and the authorities are expected to use the vote to gauge the depth of society’s war weariness as fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes roil some parts of the country, and businesses grapple with high interest rates, a labour crunch and Western sanctions.

Initial and partial results are expected to begin trickling out on Sunday evening, with near-complete results available on Monday.