Putin's United Russia Secures Record Majority in Parliamentary Election Marked by Drones and Cyberattacks

President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party has secured a record number of 355 seats in Russia's State Duma, according to preliminary results announced by Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova. With nearly all votes counted following the three-day election, the results grant the ruling party a supermajority that surpasses its previous 2016 record of 343 seats in the 450-seat lower house of parliament.

The election marked the first parliamentary vote held in Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The balloting took place under tight Kremlin control, with no political parties critical of Putin permitted to participate. United Russia has maintained dominance over Russian politics since the early 2000s, while Putin has remained in power since December 31, 1999.

According to the preliminary vote distribution, Russia's Communist Party finished second with 40 seats. The nationalist LDPR party captured 25 seats, and the New People party secured 20 seats. Pamfilova reported that voter turnout exceeded 59 percent, expressing gratitude to citizens for casting ballots despite what she characterized as psychological pressure on the nation.

The final day of voting was disrupted by a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, as Ukraine launched a massive wave of drone strikes targeting Moscow and the surrounding region. According to officials, the attacks resulted in two deaths and ignited an oil refinery fire. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that the operation involved approximately 1,600 drones, with 450 directed specifically at the capital, making it the largest drone assault on Moscow since the war began.

Images from the capital showed a large hole blasted into a multi-story apartment building on the outskirts of Moscow alongside thick black smoke rising from the targeted refinery. In response to the strikes, the Russian Ministry of Defence accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the democratic participation of Russian citizens and vowed to intensify high-accuracy military strikes against targets in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged and praised the operations, stating that long-range responses had achieved a significant impact in the Moscow region. Meanwhile, amid the escalating mutual strikes, Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump—who has previously urged Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian refineries—with the two leaders anticipating an upcoming meeting in New York.

In addition to the physical attacks, the electoral process faced digital disruptions. Pamfilova reported that election infrastructure experienced a wave of cyberattacks throughout the final day of voting. While she did not assign direct responsibility for the incidents, Pamfilova noted that the assaults appeared executed by highly professional and well-coordinated groups utilizing artificial intelligence tools.

Authorities recorded more than 1,000 waves of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks directed against infrastructure tied to the electoral process. Pamfilova also noted that saboteurs had severed communication lines in Russia's far east prior to the final voting phase in an apparent attempt to hinder the election.

With approximately 95 percent of the ballots processed, Pamfilova indicated that the Central Election Commission will release the final certified election results later in the week. The vote concludes a tense electoral cycle unfolding against the backdrop of ongoing military hostilities and heightened international friction.