Russia Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Russian Federal Customs Service Valery Pikalev in Moscow, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026.
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Election officials say the Kremlin's main party has retained its majority in Russia’s parliament. That result came after three days of carefully orchestrated balloting — the first election since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine 4 1/2 years ago. Results released Monday by the country's Central Election Commission indicate that United Russia will get a record high 355 out of 450 seats in the State Duma, the lower chamber of parliament. Most opposition candidates were excluded from the election as the Kremlin tightened its crackdown in Russian politics during the war. Voting also was held in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine, and authorities in Kyiv denounced it, urging other countries not to recognize it.
