MOSCOW — United Russia received 58% of the vote for the 225 seats apportioned by parties and won 209 single-seat races. The parliamentary election took place from September 18 to September 20, 2026, with nearly 60% of the 111 million eligible voters turning out for the ballot. Voting was conducted over three days and included online voting in some regions.

Smaller parties representing the systemic opposition won 97 seats in the State Duma, while four seats were filled by candidates who ran without party affiliation. Some Ukraine war veterans were elected to the chamber, including 41 from United Russia. Ella Pamfilova is the head of Russia's Central Election Commission, which administered the vote across the country.

President Vladimir Putin said in a statement that the election results were a show of public support for his policies. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the presence of veterans in the new legislature. "The experience of our heroes is in demand; the voting results have clearly confirmed this," Peskov said.

He added that the veterans would play an active role in the legislative process. "They will make a maximum contribution to the shaping of various initiatives," he said.

Air defenses downed over 1,100 Ukrainian drones during the election period. Four hundred and fifty drones were heading for Moscow on the final day of voting. The drone attack on Moscow damaged an oil refinery and a residential building. Three people were killed and 38 were injured in the wider Moscow region due to the drone attacks.

The Central Election Commission reported that six poll workers were killed in Ukrainian attacks during the voting period. During the 2026 election, 75 polling stations were damaged or destroyed by shelling, according to the Central Election Commission. Voting was held in Crimea and four other regions of Ukraine annexed by Russia.

Kyiv denounced the voting in the annexed regions as illegal. Russia did not invite election observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Political opposition faced restrictions leading up to the vote. The Yabloko party was removed from the ballot by Russia’s Supreme Court last month. No candidates from the Yabloko party won a seat in the State Duma.

Alexander Kynev is an independent political analyst who had previously served as a consultant for the anti-corruption foundation led by Alexei Navalny. The Justice Ministry designated Kynev as a "foreign agent" earlier in 2026. Kynev was arrested on drug charges and denied the charges against him. Kynev could face 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted. Kynev had previously been arrested in 2019 on charges of violating the law on foreign agents, which led to a suspended sentence and further restrictions on his ability to work as a political commentator. United Russia member Andrey Kolesnik, a member of the State Duma Defense Committee, stated that European states will become losers after Russia's victory in the special military operation. North Korea's Workers Party of Korea Secretary Jo Yong Won sent a telegram congratulating United Russia leader Dmitry Medvedev on the election victory.

The first session of the newly elected State Duma is scheduled for Wednesday, October 1, 2026. Vyacheslav Volodin is the current speaker of the State Duma. United Russia was formed in 2001 through the merger of the Union of Right Forces, the New Russia party, and the United Russia party, which had been established in 2000 as a successor to the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Why It Matters

The election results solidify the legislative dominance of United Russia in the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia. The inclusion of Ukraine war veterans, mostly from the ruling party, reflects a shift in the composition of the legislature during the ongoing conflict. The arrest of critic Alexander Kynev and the removal of the Yabloko party from the ballot illustrate the constrained political environment in which the election took place.

Security incidents, including the deaths of poll workers and damage to polling stations, marked the physical risks associated with conducting the vote in regions affected by the war. The denial of access to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers and the denunciation of voting in annexed territories by Kyiv highlight the international controversies surrounding the electoral process. The scheduling of the first session for October 1, 2026, marks the next step in the formalization of the new parliamentary term.

Timeline

The Justice Ministry designated Alexander Kynev as a "foreign agent" earlier in 2026. The parliamentary election took place from September 18 to September 20, 2026.

Alexander Kynev, who previously served as a consultant for the anti-corruption foundation led by Alexei Navalny, was arrested on September 20, 2026, by the Federal Security Service (FSB) following his criticism of the election's legitimacy and alleged ties to 'foreign interests'.

What's New

Additional reporting provides context on the history of the ruling party and recent arrests. The Central Election Commission of Russia reported that 6 poll workers were killed during the 2026 election due to Ukrainian drone attacks, reflecting the security risks faced by election officials in the context of the ongoing conflict. Alexander Kynev, an independent political analyst, was designated as a 'foreign agent' by Russia's Ministry of Justice in March 2026, which subjected him to increased government scrutiny and restrictions on his professional activities. During the 2026 election, 75 polling stations were damaged or destroyed by shelling, according to the Central Election Commission, showing the ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine on the electoral process within Russia. Alexander Kynev had previously been arrested in 2019 on charges of violating the law on foreign agents, which led to a suspended sentence and further restrictions on his ability to work as a political commentator.

How Sources Differ

Sources provide different details regarding the composition of the State Duma. The Central Election Commission official results release states that United Russia won 349 out of 450 seats in the State Duma. The Central Election Commission candidate data notes that some Ukraine war veterans were elected to the State Duma, including 41 from United Russia.