Russians are heading into a parliamentary election set to begin Friday amid growing economic pressures and widespread uncertainty about the future. While the vote itself is expected to produce predictable results due to Kremlin control, many citizens are grappling with the broader consequences of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which has strained the military, economy, and society.
The three-day election has been widely described as a heavily managed process, with limited genuine political competition. The only identified antiwar party, Yabloko, was excluded from the ballot, and campaign activities by many candidates appear lackluster. Reports of canceled debates and low attendance, including the absence of representatives from the ruling United Russia party at youth forums in Moscow, illustrate a lack of engagement. Some campaign materials show unusual choices, such as a video portraying Viktor Bout, the well-known arms dealer, as a struggling businessman.
Despite the election’s predictable outcome, many Russians express deep apprehension about potential developments following the vote. There is persistent speculation about a large-scale military mobilization, as Russia’s armed forces reportedly face significant personnel shortages. The war effort’s costs have also contributed to economic challenges, including fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian attacks on key oil refineries. At gas stations in Moscow, drivers are often forced to wait in long lines for fuel, a rare occurrence for a major oil-producing country.
Many citizens appear caught between maintaining a veneer of normalcy and acknowledging the deep changes brought on since the last parliamentary election five years ago, before the full-scale war began. “We are living in the war, and people are starting to understand it,” said one Moscow driver, reflecting a mix of resignation and concern about the unpredictable road ahead.
Surveys indicate rising anxiety across the population. A July poll from a state-affiliated agency found nearly 60 percent of Russians believed anxiety levels in their communities were increasing, reaching a four-year high. This is underscored by reports of significant cash withdrawals from banks, suggesting financial uncertainty, and widespread fears of further internet restrictions imposed by authorities.
The Kremlin’s messaging has shifted somewhat in recent months to acknowledge hardships faced by the population while calling for unity behind President Vladimir V. Putin and the war effort. This was symbolized in a large pro-government rally in Moscow two weeks before the election, where officials paraded the remains of Dmitri Donskoy, a 14th-century military hero who defeated the Mongol Golden Horde. The demonstration was intended to evoke historic Russian resilience against foreign adversaries, casting the current conflict as a continuation of that legacy.
Nonetheless, this narrative contrasts with the growing fatigue and unease reported among ordinary Russians. Some face the prospect of conscription, including young people like a 21-year-old Moscow student who recently received a military draft summons and expressed fear of being tracked by facial recognition technologies. Others, like a teacher in the Novosibirsk region, note that conversations increasingly revolve around the question of when the war will end rather than its justification.
Economic struggles are also widespread, with local businesses suffering and many individuals questioning the war’s purpose. A driver from the Kazan region, now working in Moscow, expressed disbelief at ongoing losses and uncertainty about the conflict’s goals despite government denials of imminent new mobilization efforts.
As the election process unfolds, Russia faces a complex and fraught period marked by political control, economic hardship, and a populace uncertain about the future trajectory of the war and its domestic consequences.