Russia holds State Duma elections amid Ukraine war, Western criticism

Russia's parliamentary elections directly affect legislative composition and policy implementation during active military operations; first-time participation from four occupied Ukrainian territories expands the Russian electoral franchise into disputed territory, affecting demographic representation in Moscow's lower house. Reported cyber attacks and infrastructure decisions—including electronic voting expansion to over 6 million remote votes—alter operational security and audit trails. Exclusion of OSCE monitors and inclusion of CIS/SCO observers create divergent international assessments of electoral integrity, influencing how foreign governments and investors interpret Russia's institutional legitimacy.