United Russia wins 57.5% in State Duma election after barring anti-war opposition

Official results and Duma composition

The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation reported that the ruling United Russia party secured 57.54% of the vote after processing 13.88% of electoral protocols in the parliamentary election. The 450 seats in the State Duma are divided under a mixed system, with 225 deputies chosen in single-member districts and 225 selected through proportional party lists. Exit polls conducted by state research center VCIOM and the INSOMAR institute aligned with initial counts, showing four Kremlin-aligned parties crossing the 5% threshold required for representation. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) obtained 13.67%, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) received 9.27%, New People reached 7.96%, and A Just Russia took 5.16%. The remaining ten registered parties failed to reach the 5% mark.

Opposition bans and protest voting

The election was the first parliamentary vote held since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Electoral authorities barred genuine opposition groups from participating, including the anti-war party Yabloko. In mid-August, the Russian Supreme Court dismissed an appeal from Yabloko regarding its disqualification, which occurred 12 days after its initial registration despite earlier polling suggesting it could surpass the 5% threshold. Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov protested by invalidating his ballot, writing the name of his party and the slogan "For peace" on the paper. Exiled opposition figures Yulia Navalnaya and Maksim Katz urged voters to back any non-United Russia candidates in party lists and support the strongest non-government candidates in single-member districts. European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand condemned the conduct of the vote.

The way the elections to the Russian Duma were conducted shows the erosion of democracy in Russia, and the Kremlin deprived voters of a real choice.

Turnout and occupied territories

The Central Election Commission recorded nationwide turnout at 56.66% at 20:55 Moscow time on Sunday, up from 51.72% in the 2021 Duma election. Voting was conducted across three days starting Friday, with 29% of voters casting ballots on the first working day and total turnout exceeding 44% over the first two days. Independent election analysts attributed the elevated participation to administrative pressure on public sector workers. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs opened 326 polling stations across 152 countries and administered voting in four partially occupied regions of Ukraine. In the occupied Donetsk region, occupation authorities stated that over one million residents, representing 75% of eligible voters, cast ballots during early voting by Friday.

System failures and strikes on infrastructure

The voting process experienced logistical disruptions and cross-border drone strikes across multiple regions. In Moscow, a malfunction in the electronic voter registry temporarily halted the distribution of paper ballots at polling stations. On Sunday, Ukrainian drone strikes hit the Moscow region, killing three people and striking an oil refinery in the capital. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated on Telegram that the strikes sought to disrupt voting operations. A separate drone strike in Russian-controlled Kherson region killed two people, including an election official. Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the completion of the vote through foreign ministry statements.

These elections confirm the stability of the state, the maturity of the political system, its ability to withstand any foreign threats, blackmail, aggression and are an expression of the shared will of millions of people, their desire to ensure the sovereignty and security of Russia.