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Russians cast their ballots on Sunday during the final day of parliamentary elections, with pro-Putin party United Russia expected to win after every victory since 2003. This election is unique as it follows Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, opposition parties like Yabloko are restricted; their candidates can still run but face obstacles such as police interference and limited access to polling stations. Meanwhile, the Russian capital experienced what Governor Sergey Sobyanin called the "largest-scale attack" since the war began, with air defenses intercepting over 1,600 drones targeting Moscow and surrounding areas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had targeted key oil industry facilities in retaliation for ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian soil.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Russian parliamentary elections, held from September 18-20, were widely expected to see United Russia, President Vladimir Putin's party, maintain its dominance over the State Duma (lower house of parliament). Despite critics arguing that the outcome was predetermined and would have no significant impact on the country’s future, Russian authorities made persistent efforts to ensure high voter participation under current electoral law. The elections came amidst increasing war fatigue and economic hardship due to Ukraine's drone strikes targeting oil refineries and warehouses within Russia, causing fuel shortages and internet blackouts.
Exit polls conducted by independent groups at embassies and consulates abroad revealed starkly different results from those inside Russia: New People, an opposition party, garnered around 45% of the votes compared to United Russia’s reported near-58% support domestically. These discrepancies highlight a divergence between domestic and international perceptions of Putin's popularity, with many Russian expatriates opposing the war and expressing anxiety over its economic and social consequences.
Critics argue that these elections are more about demonstrating the regime's resilience than reflecting genuine public sentiment or political contestation, given the tight control exercised by the Kremlin.
Written for “Russia's Wartime Elections” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 64 other(s) covering the same event.
The vote comes as the Russian capital was hit by what its governor described as the "largest-scale attack" on the city since the war in Ukraine began.
asserted
war → come → Ukraine
Russians are casting their ballots on Sunday in the final day of voting in parliamentary elections, with the pro-Putin United Russia party widely expected to emerge victorious.
asserted
party → cast → elections
United Russia has won every parliamentary election in the country since 2003.
asserted
Russia → win → 2003
The 2026 vote marks the first since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, meaning it could offer a slight hint at public sentiment towards the conflict, which has been increasingly impacting Russians at home.
uncertain
which → mark → home
However, in August, Russia's Supreme Court ordered the only party opposing the war - the Yabloko party - to be struck from the ballot.
asserted
party → order → ballot
Its candidates are reportedly still able to run for individual seats in some districts.
uncertain
candidates → run → districts
In a statement at the time, Yabloko cofounder Grigory Yavlinsky hit out at the decision and said they would appeal.
asserted
they → hit → decision
"Barring Yabloko from the elections means refusing to engage in dialogue with people who ask questions that are uncomfortable for the authorities," he said.
asserted
he → bar → authorities
"We stand for a ceasefire, diplomacy and peace, for the prevention of nuclear war".
asserted
We → stand → war
On Saturday, the party reported that one of its election observers had "lost consciousness" while being "subjected to force" by police in St. Petersburg.
asserted
one → report → Petersburg
It also complained that party observers were being "denied access to polling stations" and that their movement was being "restricted."
asserted
movement → complain → stations
Moscow hit by 'largest-scale attack'
The vote comes as the Russian capital was hit by what its governor described as the "largest-scale attack" on the city since the war in Ukraine began.
asserted
war → hit → Ukraine
Sergey Sobyanin reported that Russian air defences had shot down more than 1,600 drones across the country since Saturday, 450 of which he said had been heading towards the capital.
asserted
he → report → capital
"Several drones reached the territory of the Moscow refinery, and one struck a residential building.
asserted
one → reach → building
There were no fatalities," he wrote.
asserted
he → be → ?
Moscow Oblast governor Andrey Vorobyov said two people had been killed in attacks across the wider region.
asserted
people → say → region
Sobyanin also accused Ukraine of attempting to "disrupt" Russia's elections - which will determine the makeup of the 450-seat state Duma - with the attacks.
asserted
which → accuse → attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had targeted the Moscow region overnight, saying a "key" oil industry facility as well as a logistics facility were hit.
asserted
facility → confirm → region
"Our long-range responses had a very significant impact in the Moscow region last night," he wrote in a post on X, adding that Russia had launched over 2,000 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs and 19 missiles against Ukraine this week.
asserted
Russia → have → Ukraine
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