Russia’s ruling United Russia party secured a record supermajority in the State Duma following a tightly controlled parliamentary election held over three days, marking the first vote since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to preliminary official results, United Russia is projected to win approximately 355 out of 450 seats, surpassing its previous high-water mark and consolidating President Vladimir Putin’s nearly 27-year grip on power. The election saw the highest voter turnout in over a decade, with authorities reporting participation exceeding 59%.
The election, conducted amid ongoing conflict and increased Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory—including a major strike on Moscow on the final voting day—was characterized by the exclusion of genuine opposition candidates and parties. The only registered anti-war party at the federal level, Yabloko, was barred from contesting in the parliamentary vote by Russia’s Supreme Court but managed to secure a small foothold in the Novgorod regional parliament, garnering just over 6% of the vote there. Key opposition figures remain imprisoned, exiled, or otherwise marginalized, and independent international election observers were not invited to monitor the process, which was criticized by Western governments as neither free nor fair.
United Russia's dominance was bolstered by a combination of state media campaigns, the use of electronic voting methods—which some analysts argue increase the potential for manipulation—and restrictions on opposition observers at polling stations. The Kremlin also facilitated voting in occupied Ukrainian regions annexed in 2022, a move condemned by Kyiv as illegal and part of a broader system of occupation. At polling stations in these areas, voting reportedly occurred under the supervision of armed Russian forces.
Aside from United Russia, four other parties cleared the 5% threshold to enter the Duma: the Communist Party, the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, New People, and A Just Russia. All have generally supported Kremlin policies in recent years. United Russia is also expected to bring 49 veterans of the Ukraine conflict into parliament, reflecting the government’s effort to promote military figures into positions of authority.
Domestic responses varied. While some Russians expressed resignation or hope for peace, others voiced satisfaction with the status quo. Analysts noted a latent but growing public desire for an end to the war despite official narratives portraying the election as a demonstration of unified national support. Concerns persist about potential escalations, including fears of new large-scale mobilizations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the results as proof of societal consolidation around Putin, while the European Union and Western nations dismissed the election as a sham, emphasizing the Kremlin’s suppression of dissent and the lack of transparency.
In Russia’s Chechen republic, pro-Kremlin leader Ramzan Kadyrov won a fifth term with an official tally nearing 100%, amid allegations of intimidation and suppression of dissent.
The final election results are expected to be officially confirmed later in the week. The outcome solidifies Putin’s constitutional majority in the Duma, granting his government broad powers to enact legislation without significant opposition, amid a continuing military conflict with Ukraine and a geopolitical standoff with the West.