Russia votes in parliamentary election as war in Ukraine drags on

It's a challenging time for Russia to hold a parliamentary election, even one whose outcome is all but assured. The economic and political climate has been seriously affected by 4 and a half years of full-fledged war with Ukraine. Swarms of enemy drones have inflicted massive damage on Russian oil refineries and logistical facilities. The public, which no longer sees the fighting as something distant, is increasingly nervous. Read moreAt least five injured in Russian drone strikes in Kyiv region United Russia, the main Kremlin party, is poised to keep its overwhelming grip on the State Duma alongside a few other parties aligned with President Vladimir Putin. Still, authorities have tightened control over the first wartime balloting for the lower chamber of parliament since the 2022 full-scale invasion. The Kremlin stifled even the slightest signs of dissent before three days of voting that began Friday in Russia's Far East. The only party that dared to criticise the war was unceremoniously removed from the ballot, and a few anti-war politicians have been imprisoned or forced to flee abroad. For the first time, the election includes residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow il...