Russia's parliamentary election result underscores public support for Kremlin policies, Putin says

President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia's first wartime parliamentary election, which further strengthened the Kremlin's already-overwhelming legislative control, was a show of public support for his policies.With over 97% of the vote counted from three days of balloting that ended Sunday, election officials said the main Kremlin party, United Russia, will get more than three-fourths of the seats in the lower house, the State Duma, a record high. The tightly orchestrated vote excluded virtually any genuine opposition.Voter turnout exceeded 59% of the 111 eligible million voters, the most for a parliamentary election in over a decade. Authorities had spread the voting over three days to boost attendance at the polls and included illegally annexed parts of Ukraine. Online voting also took place in some regions.“Such a record number of people who come to cast ballots shows that the people of Russia support our efforts aimed at strengthening the country,” Putin said in televised remarks at a meeting with top government members, his first public remarks on the outcome.The election took place against the backdrop of incessant Ukrainian drone attacks. On Sunday, Russia's Defen...