Putin Links Duma Turnout to Support for War
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Russia is holding a three-day election for the State Duma, its lower house of parliament, from Friday through Sunday, in what state media describe as the country’s first nationwide parliamentary vote since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. President Vladimir Putin urged Russians to vote, saying turnout and voter choice would demonstrate that millions stand behind Russian soldiers and that the country remains united. The Central Election Commission said turnout, including online voting, was about 30% by Friday night. Voting is also taking place in four Ukrainian regions annexed during the war: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson
Key Points
- The State Duma election began on Friday, September 18, and runs for three days until Sunday, September 20.
- Putin, who leads the ruling United Russia party, is widely expected to see the party retain control of the Duma
- In a national televised address on Wednesday, September 16, Putin said every vote matters and called participation both a duty and nation-building
- Putin said voters’ choices would show firm backing for Russian troops and answer those seeking to weaken Russia and limit its sovereignty.
- Russia’s Central Election Commission said cyberattacks targeting the election system had intensified as voting proceeded, while turnout reached about 30% by Friday night
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the election offers a measure of how the Kremlin is presenting domestic political legitimacy during wartime, especially by tying turnout directly to support for the military campaign. It also matters because voting in the four annexed Ukrainian regions underlines how Moscow is folding contested wartime territory into its national political process