Putin Claims Election Victory Shows Public Support Amid Wartime Drone Attacks
Russia's ruling party secured a record high in parliamentary elections that excluded genuine opposition and were held amidst significant Ukrainian drone assaults.
President Vladimir Putin asserted on Wednesday that Russia's recent parliamentary election, the first to occur during wartime and one that further solidified the Kremlin's legislative dominance, demonstrated public backing for his policies. Election officials reported that with over 97% of the vote tallied, the United Russia party is set to occupy more than three-fourths of the seats in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament.
The tightly controlled election saw virtually no meaningful opposition candidates permitted to run. Voter turnout surpassed 59%, the highest in over a decade, with voting spread across three days and including online options in certain regions. Putin stated in televised remarks that the high turnout signified public support for the country's strengthening efforts.
The election took place against a backdrop of intense Ukrainian drone attacks. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 1,110 drones overnight on Sunday. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 450 drones were intercepted en route to the capital, characterizing it as the largest attack on Moscow in an attempt to disrupt the voting process. The coordinated assault resulted in damage to an oil refinery and a residential building, causing three fatalities and injuring 38 in the broader Moscow region.
"They tried to hamper our efforts, to derail the election, as evidenced by the enemy’s continuous efforts to breach air defenses around Moscow and in other regions," Putin said. "But lines at polling stations have shown that Russia can’t be intimidated."
This parliamentary election marked the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and was the first to include residents from four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed later that year. Voting was conducted in Russian-held areas of Donetsk and Crimea, actions denounced as illegal by Kyiv.
Putin addressed Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, stating that the vote was for them and that people believe in their courage and the nation's victory. He expressed confidence that "all the goals we set for the special military operation will be fulfilled."
A significant state media campaign and stringent electoral controls contributed to the Kremlin's enhanced political control, even amidst economic challenges and persistent Ukrainian drone strikes. Preliminary results suggest United Russia will win between 347 and 355 of the 450 Duma seats. The party secured nearly 58% of the vote for party-list seats and also won 208 of the single-seat districts. Minor parties aligned with the Kremlin are expected to fill most remaining seats, with minimal gains for independent candidates. The liberal Yabloko party, which had publicly opposed the war, was disqualified from the ballot last month and did not secure any seats in preliminary results.