Russian officials claimed voting systems came under cyberattack, as the country entered the second of three days of voting for the State Duma, the lower house of parliament.
There was no independent confirmation of the attacks on September 19. The country’s top election official, Ella Pamfilova, claimed the attempted disruptions had been thwarted, but provided no details.
Russia’s Digital Ministry reported attempted sabotage on a communication line in the country’s Pacific regions, but said there were no disruptions to voting.
It’s the first parliamentary vote for Russia since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country staged a presidential vote in 2024, which Vladimir Putin won handily.
Officials said around 33 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots as of midday September 19.
Few experts expect monumental changes to the composition of the 450-seat Duma, which is dominated by the Kremlin-affiliated United Russia ruling party.
Kremlin political advisers for years have used various tools to engineer the country’s electoral and administrative systems, to ensure elections reach determined outcomes.
The Ukraine war and the slowing economy are looming over the vote. Weeks prior, officials barred the Yabloko political party, whose anti-war messaging appeared to strike a chord among Russians, from running, citing technicalities.
Though opinion polling is difficult due to oppressive policies that have criminalized dissent or opposition to the war, several polls have pointed to slipping popularity for Putin, as well as United Russia.
On the eve of the vote, Putin exhorted Russians to turn out, saying the results would serve as a barometer of support for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
Officials results were not expected before late September 21 at the earliest.
