started · updated
Russia holds parliamentary elections including annexed Ukrainian regions
Parliamentary and regional elections have commenced across all 89 regions of Russia, running from September 18 to September 20, 2026. The vote includes the election of 450 members to the State Duma.
For the first time, the elections include residents of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2022. While Moscow claims these areas as part of its territory, the annexations are not recognized internationally, and Kyiv has denounced the voting as illegal.
The political landscape has been shaped by the removal of the liberal Yabloko party from the ballot by the Supreme Court following a challenge by the pro-Kremlin Rodina party. Yabloko was noted as the only originally registered party to oppose the war in its program. Additionally, the Kremlin is reportedly promoting Ukraine war veterans as candidates to leverage military service as a political asset.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed concerns regarding international recognition, stating that European views on the elections are of no importance to Russia.
Entities
Central Election Commission · Dmitry Peskov · Jabloko · Russia · State Duma · United Russia · Vladimir Putin · Yabloko
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Yabloko was the only party originally registered by the Central Election Commission that opposed the war in its program. hir.ma · inews.co.uk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The elections are scheduled to take place from September 18 to September 20, 2026. digitalchew.com · inews.co.uk
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Supreme Court removed the Yabloko party from the ballot following a legal challenge by the Rodina party. digitalchew.com · hir.ma · inews.co.uk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The State Duma is being elected to fill 450 seats. kontroll.hu · hir.ma
- [● 2 SOURCES] Parliamentary and regional elections have begun in all 89 regions of Russia. kontroll.hu · hir.ma
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that European recognition of the elections is of no importance to Russia. kontroll.hu
- [● 5 SOURCES] Residents of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions are voting for the first time. kontroll.hu · digitalchew.com · hir.ma · srnnews.com · www.newindianexpress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Kremlin is utilizing military service as a political asset by promoting Ukraine war veterans as candidates. digitalchew.com