MOSCOW – The pro-Putin ruling United Russia party won a record number of seats in the national parliament, according to near-complete official election results on Monday, while the anti-war Yabloko party appeared to have won a tiny foothold in one regional parliament.
President Vladimir Putin had cast the three-day election to the State Duma – the first since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 – as a test of support for the war.
Elections for some regional parliaments and governors were held at the same time.
In a tightly controlled political system, which critics say does not tolerate genuine dissent, under which many of Yabloko’s candidates were barred, few surprises were expected.
But political analysts said it was important to the authorities that the process itself was seen to be relatively smooth.
Officials from Putin down had cast the vote as a way of showing enemies that Russia was united.
