Russia's election: A sham, not a democratic vote

Russia's first parliamentary election since its invasion of Ukraine was held, with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party securing a staged landslide victory. The results cannot be recognized as a genuine democratic election. The vote took place over three days from September 18-20, with authorities reportedly coercing public employees and state workers to cast ballots. The only anti-war party, Yabloko, was barred from the proportional representation list, and independent media have been forced to operate abroad due to tightened censorship. United Russia won over three-quarters of parliamentary seats, a record high, with remaining seats going to pro-government opposition parties. Voting also occurred in four occupied Ukrainian regions, where armed soldiers reportedly pressured residents to vote. Ukraine, the EU, and Western nations condemned the elections as a sham and violation of international law.