WorldPosted at: Sep 20 2026 7:47PM


Russia votes on final day of election as Moscow reports over 1,000 cyberattack waves

Moscow, Sep 20 (UNI) Russia's three-day parliamentary election entered its final day today, with voters casting ballots in the first State Duma election since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, amid waves of alleged cyberattack.
President Vladimir Putin has portrayed the election as a test of public support for his policies and the war in Ukraine, while the ruling United Russia party is widely expected to retain its dominance in the 450-seat State Duma.
The vote is taking place against the backdrop of a tightly controlled political environment in which most candidates openly opposed to the war were barred from standing. The liberal Yabloko party was also largely excluded from the election, although some of its candidates are contesting individual constituencies.
Russian law provides for lengthy prison terms for what authorities classify as discrediting the armed forces or spreading false information about the military. The Kremlin says such restrictions and censorship are necessary during what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.
Voting is also taking place in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine, a move Kyiv has rejected. Ukraine, which has suspended elections under martial law, has described the Russian vote as a "pseudo election".
The election has also been accompanied by reports of cyberattacks and attempts to disrupt voting infrastructure.
Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova said today that Russia had recorded more than 1,000 waves of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against infrastructure involved in the electoral process.
"Over the past period, more than one thousand waves of DDoS attacks have been recorded against the Russian infrastructure involved in the electoral process," Pamfilova said at the CEC information centre.
She said the attacks had targeted the remote electronic voting system and the CEC's digital resources.
"The level of impact is assessed as very high. The attacks were carried out by highly professional, well-coordinated groups using artificial intelligence tools... The attackers used massive, high-capacity DDoS attacks along with attacks on web servers and voting infrastructure. Attempts at targeted attacks on Russia's telecommunications infrastructure as a whole were also made," Pamfilova said.
"The attacks were carried out mainly from abroad," she said, claiming that most originated from the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Brazil, Indonesia.
Pamfilova said Moscow's online voting system had come under a "very powerful, continuous attack", which she said was still ongoing. Russian authorities said the attacks had been repelled.
Putin on Friday accused Ukraine of attempting to "hinder" the election. He cited a reported attack on the home of an election official in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Kyiv did not directly respond to the accusation, while Ukrainian authorities have rejected the Russian vote as illegitimate.
Today, Ukraine launched a major drone attack on the Moscow region as voting entered its final day. Russian authorities said two people were killed in the Moscow region and that a facility at the Moscow oil refinery was damaged. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called it an attempt to disrupt the election, although Ukraine has not claimed responsibility.
Pamfilova said 1,126 international observers had arrived in Russia for the election, including about 40 observers, experts and other representatives from European countries and the United States.
"A total of 1,126 international observers have arrived... Including around 40 colleagues, experts and observers from European countries and the US," she said at the CEC information centre.
The elections to the State Duma, along with regional and local polls, are being held from September 18 to 20. About 20,700 parliamentary seats and other elected positions are being contested across Russia. Putin has described the parliamentary election as the country's most important domestic political event.
Despite the expected dominance of United Russia, analysts cited by Reuters said economic pressures and growing concerns over the war could encourage some voters to support other parties allowed to contest the election. The Communist Party and New People could benefit, although both have generally supported United Russia on major issues.
In a televised address before the vote, Putin said the election would demonstrate support for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
"Your choice, and your will, will once again demonstrate that millions of people stand behind our soldiers, that we are a united people bound together by shared values, historical memory, and love for our homeland, and that no one will succeed in dividing or intimidating us," Putin said.
Initial results are expected from around 1800 GMT on Sunday, with more complete results due on Monday.
Voting is also being held at Russian diplomatic missions abroad. Polling stations at Russia's consulates in New York and Houston opened on Sunday, while Russian citizens in the United States can also vote at the embassy in Washington.
The election is being held amid heightened tensions over Russia's war in Ukraine, with drone attacks inside Russia and continuing disputes over voting in Russian-controlled territories adding to the security concerns surrounding the poll.
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