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Russia votes in parliamentary election as war in Ukraine drags on
The Kremlin is using the vote to gauge support for the war as United Russia is expected to keep its dominance in the 450-seat chamber.
On Friday, Russia began a three-day parliamentary election, the first since invading Ukraine, with candidates competing for 450 seats in the State Duma. The ruling United Russia party is widely expected to retain dominance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin framed the vote as a barometer of support for the war, urging citizens to demonstrate national resolve. The Kremlin asserts national unity is vital to counter Ukrainian intelligence efforts to stir internal unrest.
Most anti-war candidates were excluded after the Supreme Court ruled the liberal Yabloko party breached electoral rules. Moscow branch head Kirill Goncharov told NHK that Putin "fears anti-war groups," vowing to continue campaigning in district races.
Officials will start counting ballots on Sunday, with initial results expected Monday. Political parties, including United Russia, have put forward more than 180 candidates who have served in Ukraine.
Authorities are gauging societal war weariness as fuel shortages, high interest rates, and Western sanctions strain the economy. Opinion polls indicate some Russians have become more anxious about how the conflict affects them personally.
One of the events that, in the opinion of independent analysts, has greater significance before the legislative elections that Russia is holding between 18 and 20 September to decide on the composition of the State Duma - the lower house of the federal parliament - has occurred months before, this Friday, the polling stations opened their doors. The state agency TASS published in May, citing a source of the official United Russia (RU) party, the…