Russian voters head to the polls from September 18 to 20 for parliamentary elections amid growing anxiety and war fatigue due to economic hardships and uncertainty caused by Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine. According to independent polling, nearly half of Russians feel alarmed about their daily lives because of the war’s negative impacts, including rising prices and internet restrictions. The Kremlin closely monitors voter turnout as these elections serve as a barometer for public support, despite United Russia campaigning on continued military engagement in Ukraine. However, opposition figures note that while many Russians still back President Putin, they increasingly desire an end to the conflict.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Nearly half of those surveyed by state pollster FOM say a sense of alarm is the prevailing mood among the people around them.
asserted
sense → survey → them
According to data by independent pollster ExtremeScan, 60% of Russians believe that the war against Ukraine has had negative consequences for their day-to-day lives.
uncertain
war → accord → lives
"Anxiety and war fatigue are driven by increasing uncertainty," Margarita Zavadskaya, a sociologist and senior research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki, told DW.
asserted
Zavadskaya → drive → DW
She says this year has seen a shift in public opinion.
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year → say → opinion
Rising prices, internet crackdowns, fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries and rumors of another mobilization drive are making it harder for Russians to plan for the future.
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Russians → rise → future
Some are even leaving the country, afraid they could be drafted after the elections.
uncertain
they → leave → elections
Sociologist and the founder of ExtremeScan Elena Koneva said people were starting to ask the question: "How much does this war cost me and my family?
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war → say → me
And am I ready to pay this price?
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I → pay → price
"
That could pose a problem for the Kremlin.
uncertain
That → pose → Kremlin
From September 18 to 20, Russians are voting for a new parliament (the State Duma) for the first time since 2022.
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Russians → vote → 2022
It's the first parliamentary election to take place in Russia during the Ukraine war.
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It → take → war
And although there are unlikely to be any surprises in the official results, the Kremlin will be closely monitoring turnout.
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Kremlin → be → turnout
"The Kremlin is confident it can fabricate whatever figures it needs.
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it → fabricate → figures
The question is how high of a price it will have to pay," said Zavadskaya.
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Zavadskaya → have → price
Although elections in authoritarian systems like that of Russian President Vladimir Putin have little to do with democratic change, they still serve an important purpose.
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they → have → purpose
They are a reality check on whether the population remains loyal.
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population → remain → ?
"They are crucial for him because they demonstrate that the majority supports the main party, the party of war, and that he has legitimacy for further escalation and the continuation of this war," Russian opposition politician in exile Ilya Yashin told DW.
asserted
Yashin → demonstrate → DW
In the fifth year of the war in Ukraine, there is little sign the Kremlin is willing to end the conflict.
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Kremlin → be → conflict
United Russia, a party de facto led by Putin, is campaigning on a platform that lists victory in the war among its priorities.
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that → lead → priorities
Its candidate list is headed by people presented as veterans of the war against Ukraine.
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list → head → Ukraine
But many Russians appear to want the opposite.
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Russians → appear → opposite
"The silent majority just wants the war to end," opposition politician Yulia Galyamina, who still lives in Russia, said in a recent interview with online media-outlet Bereg.
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who → want → Bereg
Most of these people still support Putin, but they are becoming increasingly anti-war, she said.
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she → support → Putin
That mood is also reflected in polling.
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mood → reflect → polling
Six in 10 Russians favor peace negotiations with Ukraine, according to independent pollster Levada Center.
uncertain
Russians → favor → Center
Recent Kremlin hints at a new round of peace talks in October may be a tactic to calm the electorate, Zavadskaya said.
uncertain
Zavadskaya → calm → electorate
Support for Yabloko has been rising
One party has sought to capitalize on this anti-war sentiment: Yabloko.
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party → rise → sentiment
The liberal opposition party is the only registered political force opposing the war in Ukraine.
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party → register → Ukraine
Although its rating was below 5% in July, the party has seen a surge in popularity since then.
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party → see → popularity
Many people, especially younger Russians, are joining Yabloko and volunteering.
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people → join → Yabloko
According to the independent pollster ExtremeScan, 18% of Russians would have voted for Yabloko.
uncertain
% → accord → Yabloko
But they will not be able to: In a recent court decision, Yabloko was barred from running in the parliamentary elections.
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Yabloko → bar → elections
"This support for Yabloko is, in fact, a demonstration of people's attitude toward the war," Koneva told DW.
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Koneva → tell → DW
What will anti-war voters do?
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voters → do → What
Now, with Yabloko out of the race, are there still ways for Russians to express that attitude?
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Russians → express → attitude
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, and opposition politician in exile Maxim Katz are urging supporters to back any party except United Russia in an effort to reduce the ruling party's result in the election.
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Navalnaya → urge → election
Yabloko has taken a different approach, encouraging voters to spoil their ballots.
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Yabloko → take → ballots
Yashin says neither choice matters.
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choice → say → ?
What matters, he says, is showing up at polling stations at noon on Sept. 20.
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he → matter → Sept.
"These queues will be a visible expression of public discontent," he said.
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he → say → discontent
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
