Russians began voting Friday in a three-day parliamentary election. It is the country’s first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The election features almost no meaningful opposition. As a result, the Kremlin is widely expected to retain its political dominance. Authorities spread voting across three days to encourage participation among about 111 million eligible voters. They also allowed electronic voting. The Central Election Commission said turnout reached about 30% by late Friday, including online ballots. The Kremlin wants the election to show public support for its war policy. It also wants to strengthen the legitimacy of its actions. At the same time, authorities have moved to suppress dissent and limit anti-war voices. “Your choice and resolve will once again demonstrate that millions of people stand behind our fighters, that we are a united people, bound by shared values, historical memory, and love for the Motherland,” President Vladimir Putin said before voting began. The Kremlin said Putin cast his vote online Friday. It also released pictures of him sitting in front of a computer screen.

United Russia Set to Retain State Duma Control

United Russia, the Kremlin’s main political party, is almost certain to keep its strong position in the State Duma. The lower house has 450 seats. Several smaller parties will also likely retain their seats. These parties form what is known as the “systemic opposition.” They generally support the government on major issues. Russian voters use two ballots in the parliamentary election. Political parties compete for half of the 450 seats. Voters choose candidates directly for the remaining seats in single-member constituencies.

Russian Voters Share Different Expectations

Russians interviewed by The Associated Press expressed different views about the election. Dmitry Kirillin, a Moscow resident, said earlier this week that he wanted political change. He hoped “to see some changes. To see a different party” leading the country. However, Moscow resident Alexander Vertukhin supported the current political setup. He said “what United Russia and the communists are doing is quite sufficient; their platforms cover everything.” At a Moscow polling station, pensioner Galina Vavilova said ending the war in Ukraine should remain the top priority. “That is the most important thing right now. Everyone wants peace, that’s what it comes down to. So that our guys are safe and sound,” she said. Another pensioner, Lyudmila Kalinina, said she wanted life “to stabilize for the better.” She also called for “an end to the big divide between the ultra-rich and the extremely poor, because, after all, many people don’t live a very sweet life.” Meanwhile, 72-year-old professor Vladimir Chubarev expressed support for the government’s initiatives. He said he hoped “for all the important initiatives our government is undertaking to succeed,” and added: “And, of course, for victory.”

Russia Tightens Restrictions on Anti-War Voices

Russia has sharply restricted political groups that oppose the war. The liberal Yabloko party had openly criticized the war. It was the only registered political entity to take that position. However, Russia’s Supreme Court removed the party from the parliamentary ballot last month. Yabloko still has a few dozen candidates running in single-member constituencies. However, the party cannot contest the election as a full parliamentary list. Authorities have also targeted individual anti-war politicians. Some have been jailed. Others have left Russia before the campaign began.

Ukraine Drone Strikes Affect Russia’s Election

The election comes after months of Ukrainian drone attacks inside Russia. Ukrainian drones targeted oil refineries during the summer. The attacks contributed to a widespread fuel crisis. Drones also hit warehouses operated by online retailers Wildberries and Ozon. These attacks have added pressure on the Russian economy. They have also brought the impact of the war closer to ordinary Russians. Security concerns have affected voting in some areas. Officials in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi temporarily closed polling stations after receiving a warning about a possible drone attack. In the Krasnodar region, authorities moved one polling station to another location. A drone had shattered windows at the original venue, Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova said.

Voting Takes Place in Russian-Held Ukrainian Regions

For the first time, the parliamentary election includes residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claims to have annexed since the war began. Russia does not fully control these territories. Voting is also taking place in Crimea. Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in 2014. In the Russian-held part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, voters placed ballots into a box while an armed Russian soldier stood nearby. Putin accused Ukraine of trying to disrupt the election. During a meeting with officials, he referred to a Ukrainian strike that Russian authorities said killed the head of a polling station in the Zaporizhzhia region. In Russian-controlled Luhansk, 14 polling stations used backup power after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged electricity lines, Pamfilova said. Russian officials also said Ukrainian attacks earlier in the week killed one polling station chief and wounded another in the Russian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia. Ukraine did not immediately respond to the allegations.

Ukraine and European Union Reject Voting in Occupied Areas

Kyiv has rejected the voting in Russian-held Ukrainian territories as illegal. Ukrainian authorities urged foreign governments and international organizations not to recognize the election. Kyiv also warned that Ukrainians who help organize the voting could face criminal prosecution. European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand also called the voting in Russian-held regions “illegal.” He said the European Union condemned the move. “These so-called elections represent yet another blatant violation of international law. The European Union does not, and will never recognize either the holding of these so-called elections, sham elections, in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or their results,” he said. Wigand said the election process “underscores the continued and deepening erosion of democracy in Russia.” He also said the Kremlin “deprives voters in Russia of a genuine choice about the future of their country.” He further criticized Russia for not inviting observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. According to Wigand, Russia ignored its previous commitments by taking that step. He said the EU would continue to support Russian civil society groups, human rights organizations and independent media.