Kremlin Accuses West of Election Interference
Russia has accused Western countries of planning to interfere in its 2026 parliamentary elections. A Kremlin task force, responsible for preventing foreign meddling, issued a warning on Wednesday.
West Already Testing Interference, Says Kremlin
“The commission records the active preparation of Western countries to organise attempts to interfere in the elections to the State Duma in 2026,” Politico quoted the document, originally reported by Russian state news agency TASS.
The report also claimed that “the United States and its satellites have already made test attempts to interfere in the Russian elections in 2024.”
Russia’s Own Election Meddling
While accusing the West, Moscow has itself been linked to election interference abroad. Last year, Russia allegedly tried to influence Romania’s presidential election in favor of pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu. Reports also suggest the Kremlin attempted to sway Moldova’s presidential election and EU accession referendum in October.
Putin’s Firm Grip on Power
Russia’s elections have faced repeated criticism. In 2024, President Vladimir Putin won 87% of the vote in an election widely seen as fraudulent. Since 2001, his ruling party, United Russia, has been accused of rigging elections to maintain control. During this entire period, Putin has remained in power, either as president or prime minister.
