United Russia Set To Win

United Russia was set to keep control of Russia’s State Duma after the country held its first wartime parliamentary election over three days. Early returns gave the ruling party more than 57% of the party-list vote, with turnout just under 57%. The ballot covered occupied Ukrainian territories that Moscow illegally annexed, plus Crimea, though those annexations are not internationally recognized. The vote was tightly controlled, with virtually no genuine opposition, after anti-war forces were barred or sidelined. Russian officials said Ukrainian drone attacks were meant to disrupt the election; Ukrainian officials did not frame them that way. Kyiv and the European Union rejected voting in occupied areas. President Vladimir Putin called participation a contribution to Russia’s victory. Final results are still pending.