Russians vote in parliamentary polls

Elections are seen as war barometer, as anti-war candidates squeezed out

MOSCOW:

Russians began voting on Friday in a three-day parliamentary election that President Vladimir Putin has described as a measure of public support for his war in Ukraine, despite most anti-war candidates being barred from contesting.

The election will determine the make-up of the 450-seat State Duma and is widely expected to see the ruling United Russia party retain its dominance. The result is likely to be presented by the Kremlin as evidence of widespread public backing for Putin's policies.

Most anti-war candidates were excluded from the ballot. The Supreme Court last month ruled that the liberal Yabloko party, which supports a ceasefire in Ukraine, had breached electoral rules, a charge the party denied.

Some Yabloko candidates are still contesting individual constituencies, which account for half of the 450 seats. Senior party figure Lev Shlosberg was jailed for 11 years over comments about the war, while deputy leader Maxim Kruglov received a seven-year sentence in June.

The vote is also being closely watched for signs of war fatigue as Russia's economy faces pressure from Western sanctions, high interest rates, labour shortages and disruptions caused by Ukrainian drone attacks. Initial partial results are expected from Sunday, with near-complete results due on Monday.