Elections & Democracy
Russia election in occupied Ukraine condemned by five nations
The UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway condemned Russia's parliamentary voting in occupied parts of Ukraine as a “sham”, calling it “part of a wider system of occupation”.
In a joint statement on Monday, the five countries said holding Russia's State Duma elections in what they called the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine was “a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and independence, and the UN Charter”. The statement cited voting held in occupied Crimea and in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.
Russia held the three-day election to renew the 450-seat State Duma, its lower house of parliament. Voting was also organised in occupied parts of Ukraine.
Russia's ruling United Russia party was projected to win with 49.4 percent of the vote, according to an exit poll by the state-owned Russian Public Opinion Research Center after voting ended Sunday. The poll put the Communist Party on 14.2 percent and the nationalist LDPR on 10.7 percent.
It was Russia's first parliamentary vote since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Only parties that support President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin's military campaign were registered to run: United Russia, the Communist Party, LDPR, A Just Russia and New People. Yabloko, which called for an end to the fighting, was barred shortly before the vote.
Russia's exiled opposition urged anti-Kremlin voters not to boycott the election but to vote against United Russia.
Update
The condemning countries were the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.
The joint statement called the voting “part of a wider system of occupation”.
The statement cited voting in occupied Crimea and in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.
The countries said holding State Duma elections in occupied Ukrainian territories was a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and independence and the UN Charter.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 September 2026 at 13:41:30 UTC.
Update
Five nations, including the UK, Canada and Australia, condemned the Russian election in occupied Ukraine as a “sham”.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 September 2026 at 13:27:44 UTC.
Update
The state-owned Russian Public Opinion Research Center exit poll showed United Russia at 49.4 percent.
The poll put the Communist Party at 14.2 percent and the nationalist LDPR at 10.7 percent.
The poll indicated United Russia's vote share was around the same as in the previous elections in 2021.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 September 2026 at 18:10:52 UTC.
Update
An exit poll projected Russia's ruling United Russia party to win the parliamentary elections.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 September 2026 at 18:03:39 UTC.
Update
Polling stations opened in Russia's Far East, beginning the three-day parliamentary election.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russia destroyed dozens of Ukrainian drones bound for Moscow overnight.
Putin urged Russians to vote to show support for troops and a common answer to those he said want to weaken Russia.
Russia's exiled opposition urged anti-Kremlin voters to vote against United Russia, while Yabloko argued it was better not to vote.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 September 2026 at 05:29:40 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The supplied material gives exit poll projections, not final official election results.
Source
AFP news report published on .