Polling stations opened in Russia’s far east on Friday as voters began a three-day election for the 450-seat State Duma, the first parliamentary vote since Moscow launched its 2022 offensive in Ukraine.
Voting began in the Pacific regions of Kamchatka and Chukotka before moving west across Russia’s 11 time zones. Polls will remain open through Sunday.
President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is expected to retain its dominant position in the lower house, which it has controlled since the early 2000s.
Limited opposition on the ballot
The election is taking place amid tight restrictions on political opposition and criticism of the war.
The Communist Party, nationalist LDPR, A Just Russia and New People are among the parties competing alongside United Russia.
Yabloko, which has called for an end to the war, was removed from the party list by Russia’s Supreme Court last month.
The Kremlin has promoted participation as a demonstration of national unity and support for Russian forces.
President Putin urged voters to participate and said the election would show that millions of Russians stand behind the country’s troops.
Voting is also taking place in Ukrainian territories occupied and claimed by Russia, a move Kiev has rejected as illegal.
War overshadows election
The election comes as the war enters its fifth year and Ukrainian drone attacks have increasingly reached deep inside Russia.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Friday that more than 350 Ukrainian drones targeted the Moscow region overnight, with Russian air defences destroying the majority before they reached the capital.
The conflict has also added economic pressure, with Russia facing rising military spending, fuel disruptions and other costs linked to the war.
The vote is being closely watched for signs of public sentiment towards the war, although the restricted political environment limits the range of choices available to voters.
Some Russian opposition figures have also raised concerns about a possible new military mobilisation after the election.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Moscow of preparing for a new call-up, while Putin has denied plans for another mobilisation.
