Putin's United Russia Secures Record Supermajority in State Duma Election

President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party secured a record supermajority in the State Duma, officials announced on Monday, following a three-day election.

Electoral chief Ella Pamfilova stated that preliminary results showed United Russia won 355 of the Duma's 450 seats. This result gives Putin's party an increased supermajority, surpassing its previous record of 343 seats. The Kremlin stated that this first parliamentary election since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine in 2022 demonstrated Russians were united around Putin.

Pamfilova reported turnout was over 59%, thanking Russians for voting despite what she called psychological pressure on Russia. The election proceeded without parties opposed to the Kremlin or Russia's war in Ukraine. Yabloko, the only party advocating for an end to the war, was barred from running for the federal parliament. United Russia garnered almost 58% of the party-list vote, an increase from 49.8% in 2021.

The Communists finished second with almost 14%, a decrease from their roughly 19% in 2021. The ultra-nationalist LDPR improved to about 8.8%, while New People advanced to around 7.9%. Fair Russia secured just over the 5% threshold. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the results indicate the highest level of consolidation within Russian society around the head of state.

Forty-nine veterans who fought for Moscow in Ukraine are expected to enter parliament representing United Russia. Kyiv launched its biggest drone attack of the war on Sunday, the final day of voting, killing two people and setting an oil refinery ablaze.