Russians go to polls against backdrop of Ukraine war and Putin’s tightening grip
President’s United Russia party faces no meaningful opposition after liberal anti-war party barred from ballotRussians are going to the polls to elect a new State Duma in a tightly controlled vote stripped of meaningful competition and with little doubt about…
By · September 18, 2026 · 1 min read
This article was originally published by
The Guardian World
and is republished here under license.
President’s United Russia party faces no meaningful opposition after liberal anti-war party barred from ballot
Russians are going to the polls to elect a new State Duma in a tightly controlled vote stripped of meaningful competition and with little doubt about the result.
Vladimir Putin’s United Russia is expected to extend the grip on parliament it has held for 23 years, alongside a handful of nominal opposition parties that reliably vote with the Kremlin on the issues that matter. The three-day vote begins on Friday, with results expected after polls close on Sunday.
Leave a Reply