Russia's ruling pro-Putin party on track to win wartime election

Key Points:

• Russia's ruling United Russia party is set to win the parliamentary election with 57.5% of the vote, a contest President Putin framed as a test of support for the war in Ukraine, according to partial official results.
• Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on Moscow and other regions on election day, killing five people and damaging a Moscow oil refinery, while Russian officials accused Kyiv of attempting to disrupt the vote.
• Despite cyberattacks on voting systems and long lines formed by opposition supporters, the Central Election Commission reported a nearly 57% turnout and described the electoral process as mostly smooth.
• Most anti-war candidates were barred from the ballot, with some opposition figures fearing imprisonment for dissent; Yabloko party leader Nikolai Rybakov protested by spoiling his ballot with a peace slogan.
• Experts note that while the election outcome was predictable, permitted opposition parties like the Communists and New People could gain votes amid growing public frustration over the war and economic pressures.