Russia Votes In Ukrainian Territories Claimed By Moscow As Kyiv Rejects Poll

The election to Russia’s ninth State Duma is being held from Friday to Sunday, alongside regional and local elections under the country’s Single Voting Day system. Voting is taking place across all 89 Russian regions, according to the Central Election Commission.

Voting In Occupied Areas

For the first time, residents of the Russian-occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are participating in elections to Russia’s lower house. Ten political parties are contesting the State Duma election.

Russia held referendums in September 2022 to claim the four Ukrainian regions as part of the Russian Federation, although Russian forces do not control all of the territory claimed by Moscow. Voting is also taking place in Crimea and Sevastopol, which Russia annexed in 2014.

The State Duma has 450 seats, with half elected through party lists and the remaining seats contested in single-member constituencies. President Vladimir Putin voted online on Friday.

Kremlin Party Leads

The Kremlin-backed United Russia party is the dominant force in the State Duma, with the AP reporting that it is expected to retain control of the lower house. Several smaller parties that make up Russia’s parliamentary “systemic opposition” are also contesting the election.

State media reports suggested on Saturday, that voting was continuing across all 89 regions, with Central Election Commission Chair Ella Pamfilova describing the process as “quite intense”. More than 4.6 million people had cast ballots early, including more than 4.4 million in 12 regions under martial law.

The election is Russia’s first parliamentary vote since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The campaign has taken place amid restrictions on anti-war political activity, with the liberal Yabloko party barred from the national ballot last month.

Ukraine Rejects Vote

Ukraine has condemned the inclusion of its occupied territories in Russia’s electoral process.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in August that extending Russia’s elections to occupied Ukrainian territory violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also warned observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States against visiting the occupied territories to monitor the voting, saying their presence would not alter the nature of the process or provide grounds for recognising its results.

Ukraine has also maintained that Russian-organised elections in Crimea and the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson have no legal consequences. In a statement on Russia’s 2024 presidential election, its Foreign Ministry said voting in those territories was unlawful and urged foreign governments and international organisations not to recognise the results.

Ukrainian authorities have warned Ukrainians involved in organising the voting that they could face criminal liability under Ukrainian law. Russian officials, meanwhile, have reported security incidents around polling stations, including damage to electricity lines in the Russian-controlled part of Luhansk.

The voting ends on Sunday, with the final results expected after polling closes.