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France 24
France 24
Politics
FRANCE 24

Russia votes in parliamentary election as war in Ukraine drags on

A voter casts a ballot in the parliamentary election in Moscow, Russia, on September 18, 2026
A voter casts a ballot in the parliamentary election in Moscow, Russia, on September 18, 2026. © Alexander Zemlianichenk, AP

Polls opened in Russia's Far East on Friday as the country began three days of voting for its parliamentary election, the first since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin's main party, United Russia, is poised to keep its grip on power alongside other parties aligned with President Vladimir Putin, as the only party that criticised the war was removed from the ballot.

It's a challenging time for Russia to hold a parliamentary election, even one whose outcome is all but assured.

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