Archive · 22 Sep 2026
Putin’s United Russia Wins Record Duma Majority Amid Wartime Attacks
Russia held its first national parliamentary election since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party won 355 of the 450 seats in the State Duma, according to preliminary results.
This gives the party more than three-quarters of the seats.
It also gives United Russia enough power to pass constitutional amendments without help from other parties.
The Communist Party, LDPR, and New People won the remaining reported seats.
Russia said more than 59% of voters took part.
Ukraine launched a large drone attack around Moscow on the last voting day, according to Russian officials.
Russian authorities also reported many cyberattacks against election systems.
The final results were expected later in the week.
United Russia won a preliminary 355 of the State Duma’s 450 seats.
The ruling party received 57.83% of votes, compared with 49.8% in 2021.
Russia’s Communist Party won 40 seats, LDPR 25, and New People 20.
The election occurred without parties critical of Vladimir Putin on the ballot.
Authorities reported drone attacks and more than 1,000 cyberattack waves during voting.
- Who
- Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party won the election; the Communist Party, LDPR, and New People were the other parties cited.
- What
- United Russia secured a preliminary 355 seats in the 450-member State Duma.
- When
- The vote took place over three days, with the final day coinciding with reported drone attacks; final results were expected later that week.
- Where
- Russia, including Moscow and the surrounding region.
- Why
- The election determined the composition of Russia’s lower house, while authorities said drone and cyberattacks sought to disrupt voting.
Official Russian account
Reported criticism and Ukrainian account
Election conditions
Official Russian account
Russian authorities presented the vote as valid and said turnout exceeded 59%.
Reported criticism and Ukrainian account
The election took place without parties critical of Vladimir Putin on the ballot, according to Euronews.
Drone attacks
Official Russian account
Russia accused Ukraine of trying to disrupt the election and said it would intensify strikes against military targets in Kyiv.
Reported criticism and Ukrainian account
Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Ukraine’s long-range operations, saying they had a significant impact in the Moscow region.
Cyberattacks
Official Russian account
Ella Pamfilova said highly professional groups using artificial intelligence tools targeted election systems in more than 1,000 attack waves.
Reported criticism and Ukrainian account
The election authorities did not identify those responsible, leaving the attribution of the cyberattacks unresolved.
- United Russia seats
- 355 of 450 State Duma seats
- United Russia vote share
- 57.83%, compared with 49.8% in 2021
- Other reported seats
- Communist Party 40; LDPR 25; New People 20
- Turnout
- More than 59%, according to Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova
- Political significance
- The result gives United Russia a constitutional majority
- Reported drone interceptions
- More than 1,600 since Saturday, including 450 headed toward Moscow
- Reported cyberattacks
- More than 1,000 waves of distributed denial-of-service attacks targeted election systems