Putin’s Party Secures Record 355 Seats in Russia Election Amid Cyberattacks, Drone Strikes

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Moscow: According to the Central Election Commission, Russia's ruling United Russia party regained its majority in the State Duma, earning 57.83% of the vote with more than 95% of ballots counted. The outcome gives the party 355 of the 450 seats, keeping its constitutional majority and allowing it to pass legislation and propose constitutional modifications without the backing of other parties.

President Vladimir Putin billed the three-day parliamentary election, the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as a litmus test of public support for his government and the war. The Communist Party received 13.81%, followed by the LDPR and New People's Parties with 8.98% and 7.96%, respectively.

The poll took place amid claims of cyberattacks on Russian election equipment and allegations of irregularities by opposition groups. Election officials said the system was subjected to more than 1,000 rounds of DDoS attacks and described the voting process as orderly, while critics cited the exclusion of many anti-war candidates and the tightly controlled political climate.

The final day of voting was also marred by a massive Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding area. According to Russian police, more than 1,600 drones were intercepted, including around 450 en route to Moscow; many individuals were murdered, and an oil refinery and residential structure were destroyed. Moscow accused Ukraine of seeking to undermine the election, and it pledged to intensify its operations against Kyiv.