Russia Concludes Parliamentary Voting, Including Annexed Ukrainian Regions

MOSCOW — Russia concluded its parliamentary elections, which incorporated residents from four Ukrainian regions that Moscow unilaterally annexed after February 2022. These regions, which include parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, are not fully under Russian administrative or military control.

The voting process, which took place over several days, included both in-person polling and online ballots for eligible citizens across Russia's established territories and the newly incorporated areas. Authorities in Moscow stated that the inclusion of residents from the annexed Ukrainian territories marked a significant expansion of the Russian electoral system.

The international community, including the United Nations General Assembly, has largely condemned Russia's annexation of these Ukrainian territories, calling the actions violations of international law. Ukraine maintains its sovereignty over these regions.

Russian election officials reported voter turnout figures following the conclusion of balloting. The Central Election Commission provided regular updates on the progress of the vote throughout the election period. The results are expected to confirm the current political alignment within the State Duma, Russia's lower parliamentary chamber.