Pro-Putin United Russia Wins Record 355 Seats in Russia’s Parliament

Russia’s ruling United Russia party has secured a record 355 seats in the 450-member State Duma, according to preliminary results announced by Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova. The party won 57.83% of the vote, up from 49.8% in 2021, after more than 95% of ballots had been counted. It has therefore surpassed its previous record of 343 seats, set in 2016. United Russia also led in 208 of the 225 single-member constituencies, giving it its largest parliamentary representation to date.

The result gives United Russia a constitutional majority, allowing it to pass legislation and initiate constitutional amendments without support from other parties. The election was Russia’s first State Duma vote since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. President Vladimir Putin had presented the election as a test of support for Russia and its war in Ukraine. However, the vote took place amid a tightly controlled political environment, with critics raising concerns about restrictions on opposition forces. The result nevertheless leaves the Kremlin with a stronger parliamentary bloc as Russia continues its wartime politics.

United Russia Expands Record Duma Majority as Anti-War Yabloko Fails Nationally

With more than 95% of ballots counted, United Russia led in 208 of the 225 single-member constituencies, strengthening its record majority in the State Duma. The Communist Party was on course for 40 seats, while the LDPR was projected to win 25 and New People 20. Just Russia also narrowly crossed the 5% threshold required for parliamentary representation. Reuters noted that these parties have often supported United Russia on major issues. Meanwhile, the Central Election Commission reported 59.3% turnout among about 111 million eligible voters. Election chief Ella Pamfilova called the turnout a record and described the vote as “clean”.

The anti-war Yabloko party, meanwhile, failed to win a seat in Russia’s national parliament. The party had called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, but Russia’s Supreme Court removed its federal list from the election, while some Yabloko candidates still contested individual constituencies. However, Yabloko appeared to secure a limited regional foothold in Novgorod, where nearly 97% of votes counted put its support about one percentage point above the 5% threshold. The result leaves United Russia with a commanding parliamentary majority, strengthening President Vladimir Putin’s political position and giving the Kremlin a broader mandate to advance its legislative agenda.

Russia Links Moscow Drone Attacks to Disruption of Parliamentary Voting

On September 20, 2026, Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Moscow and surrounding areas as Russia held the final day of its parliamentary election. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian forces had intercepted more than 1,600 drones since Saturday, including about 450 heading toward Moscow. The strikes damaged a 21-storey residential building in Ramenskoye, forcing about 400 people, including 70 children, to evacuate. Initial reports said two people had died, while a later report put the death toll in the Moscow region at three. The attacks also caused fires at the Moscow oil refinery, damaging two crude-distillation units.

Russian officials linked the attacks to the election, saying Ukraine had sought to disrupt the voting process and the “democratic will” of voters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the long-range strikes, saying they had a “very significant impact” in the Moscow region. In addition, Russia’s Defense Ministry warned that it would intensify strikes against Ukraine in response. The attacks therefore added a major security crisis to an already tense election day, with both sides signaling that the conflict could escalate further.

Web Resources On Pro-Putin United Russia Wins Record 355 Seats

1. Reuters : Pro-Putin party gets record 355 parliamentary seats, anti-war party a tiny regional foothold.
2. France24 : Putin’s party wins record number of parliamentary seats in first vote since 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
3. Euro News : Putin’s United Russia party wins record 355 parliament seats, election chief says.