Russia's 2026 parliamentary elections are a legitimate democratic exercise

U.S. campaigns, voting, and the people running for office.

Russia began a three-day election for all 450 seats in the State Duma on 18 September 2026, its first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin presented participation as evidence of national unity and support for the war, while the ruling United Russia party was expected to retain control after most anti-war candidates were excluded. Russia also organised voting in Crimea and the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia — Ukrainian territories whose annexation is not internationally recognised. Russian authorities accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the election through attacks in occupied areas, while Ukraine denounced the process as an illegitimate “pseudo-election”. Final results were not available when voting began.