Russia to hold legislative elections including annexed Ukrainian regions

Russia is scheduled to hold legislative elections from September 18 to 20, marking the first parliamentary vote since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For the first time, Moscow intends to include four Ukrainian regions that it unilaterally annexed in 2022 in the voting process.

Ukraine has denounced the upcoming elections as a “farce,” with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stating that any votes cast in illegally occupied territories will be considered null. Sybiha accused the Russian regime of systematically dismantling democracy and suppressing freedom of expression. He also noted that independent observers from the OSCE have been excluded from the process.

The elections will determine the 450 seats in the State Duma. The ruling party, United Russia, currently holds 315 seats and aims to maintain a constitutional majority. While the Kremlin has set targets for support in various regions, the political landscape remains constrained; the Yabloko party, which advocates for peace and negotiations, has been excluded from the process.