Russia’s parliamentary election has for the first time included residents from regions illegally annexed from Ukraine following its full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago, as part of Kremlin efforts to solidify its territorial claims, reports BritPanorama.
Officials in Kyiv have condemned the elections as illegal, while a human rights activist indicated that residents were being coerced into participating. Voting across Russia commenced on Friday and will continue until Sunday; however, in the annexed regions, balloting has been taking place since the end of last month, with officials citing security reasons for the extended voting period.
Russian authorities claim that the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia territories—referred to by Moscow as the “new regions”—boast over 3.5 million eligible voters. These regions were officially annexed by Russia in September 2022, despite not being under full Moscow control. The international community has not recognized this annexation.
At a polling station in Russian-occupied Donetsk, voters were seen casting their ballots under the watchful eye of an armed Russian soldier. In a speech earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the significance of the elections in these territories, emphasizing it as the first opportunity for residents to vote for the Duma since their “reunification” with Russia. He stated that even Russian soldiers involved in the conflict are eligible to vote.
Voting also extends to Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014. This election marks the first wartime ballot for the State Duma aimed at reinforcing the Kremlin’s political power and highlighting purported public support for its actions in Ukraine.
“Your choice and resolve will once again demonstrate that millions of people stand behind our fighters,” Putin argued, promoting a narrative of unity and resilience against external pressures.
In response, authorities in Kyiv have denounced the voting as a violation of international law and urged foreign governments and organizations not to recognize its legitimacy. They have cautioned that involvement in the organization of the elections could incur criminal liability for Ukrainians.
A coalition of nine Ukrainian human rights organizations has called for residents in Russian-controlled areas to abstain from voting. “We urge residents of the temporarily occupied territories to prioritize their safety,” the coalition stated, denouncing the elections as a tactic to legitimize Russian control and annexation.
Activists describe coercion to vote
Violeta Artemchuk, coordinator of the Donbas SOS human rights group, reported that local election committee members, accompanied by Russian soldiers and security agents, were going door-to-door to compel residents to vote. Artemchuk noted that public sector employees faced threats of job loss for non-participation, and access to social payments was predicated on voting.
“Individuals with disabilities or pensioners reliant on social assistance risk being deemed ‘disloyal’ if they do not participate and could lose benefits or humanitarian aid,” she added.
Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst with the Kyiv-based Penta Center, remarked that “elections held at gunpoint are a farce.” He stated that the conditions under which voting is occurring—amid ongoing shelling and conflict—illustrate the Kremlin’s disregard for both the populace and any semblance of a democratic process.
Fesenko characterized the elections as “nothing short of a mockery,” asserting that electoral procedures conducted by the Russian occupation authorities cannot be equated with democratic practice.
