Russia’s parliamentary election, held over three days beginning Friday, took place amid reports of violence, repression, and restrictions on opposition activities. The voting, which seeks to elect members of the State Duma, is the first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and is widely expected to consolidate the Kremlin’s political dominance.
The liberal opposition Yabloko party reported that one of its election observers lost consciousness during an arrest at a polling station in St. Petersburg on Saturday, the election’s second day. According to Yabloko, officials accused the observer of attempting to “disrupt the elections” and called police, who used force against him. The party stated the observer was taken to a police station and charged with disobeying police orders. Details about his medical treatment were unclear, and Russian officials did not immediately comment on the incident.
Yabloko, which openly opposes Russia’s war in Ukraine, was removed from the official ballot by Russia’s Supreme Court last month, leaving only a small number of its candidates eligible in single-constituency races. Other antiwar politicians have reportedly faced imprisonment or fled abroad before the election. Both Yabloko and the Communist Party, which has criticized some government policies but refrained from opposing President Vladimir Putin, reported significant obstacles to their election observers. These included being denied entry at polling stations, and allegations of ballot box tampering, refusal to issue paper ballots, and unsecure polling locations overnight.
On Friday, Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov appealed to Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Election Commission, highlighting what he called systematic exclusion and pressure on opposition observers. The party warned that these issues reflected a deliberate effort rather than isolated incidents.
Russia declined to invite the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to monitor the election, accusing it of “double standards” in its criticism of Russia. Instead, Moscow invited other international groups and observers from OSCE member states. OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons condemned Russia’s decision as a violation of its commitments and a sign of disregard for transparency and democratic norms.
According to Russia’s Central Election Commission, over 380,000 election observers were registered, including more than 97,000 from the ruling United Russia party and roughly 42,700 from the Communist Party. Approximately 1,126 international observers from 133 countries and 13 international organizations were also registered. In the lead-up to the vote, authorities imposed new restrictions on observers, banning statements perceived as undermining confidence in the electoral process.
The Kremlin extended the election over the weekend to boost voter turnout among approximately 111 million eligible citizens and permitted electronic voting. This election marked the first inclusion of residents from four Ukrainian regions that Russia annexed during the ongoing conflict, though it does not fully control these areas. Voting also occurred in Crimea, the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
The election is viewed as a strategic effort by Moscow to demonstrate public support for its actions in Ukraine and to legitimize the contested regions. With most genuine opposition sidelined or marginalized, the ruling United Russia party and several minor pro-government parties are expected to maintain their dominance in the State Duma.