Key HighlightsUnited Russia is projected to win 355 of the 450 State Duma seats.More than 95% of ballots had been counted when the preliminary distribution was announced.The party received 57.83% of the party-list vote.United Russia’s previous record was 343 State Duma seats in 2016.Communist Party is projected to win 40 seats, while LDPR is set for 25.Turnout was above 59%, according to Russia’s Central Election Commission.The election was the first Russian parliamentary vote since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.What Happened in Russia Election 2026?Russia’s ruling United Russia party is set to strengthen its control over the State Duma after securing 355 of the 450 seats, according to preliminary results announced by Central Election Commission Chair Ella Pamfilova.With more than 95% of ballots counted, United Russia had received 57.83% of the party-list vote. The projected 355 seats would give the party a larger majority than its previous record of 343 seats, achieved in the 2016 parliamentary election.The State Duma has 450 members. Under Russia’s electoral system, 225 seats are allocated through the nationwide party-list vote and another 225 through single-member constituencies.How Many Seats Did United Russia Win?Preliminary figures released by the Central Election Commission showed United Russia leading in 208 of the 225 single-member constituencies.The Communist Party was projected to receive 40 seats, followed by the Liberal Democratic Party with 25 and New People with 20 seats. The distribution remains preliminary and could change before the final results are formally announced.United Russia’s 355-seat projection is significant because a constitutional majority in the 450-member State Duma requires at least 301 seats.What Did Ella Pamfilova Say?Ella Pamfilova, chair of Russia’s Central Election Commission, announced the preliminary figures after the three-day parliamentary election concluded.She said turnout had crossed 59%, higher than the 51.72% recorded in the 2021 State Duma election. More than 111 million people were eligible to vote through polling stations and remote electronic voting, according to preliminary election data.Pamfilova also reported cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure during the voting period. Russian officials said the attacks did not prevent the overall voting process from continuing.What Happened to the Russian Opposition?The 2026 Russia parliamentary election was held amid restrictions on opposition groups and candidates.The liberal Yabloko party, which had opposed Russia’s war in Ukraine, was excluded from the federal party-list ballot after a Supreme Court decision. Some Yabloko candidates were able to contest regional or single-member races.Russia has also faced criticism from Ukrainian and Western officials over the conduct of elections in territories of Ukraine that Moscow claims to have annexed. Kyiv has rejected the voting there as illegitimate.How Did the Ukraine War Affect the Election?The election was the first parliamentary vote in Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.The war remained an important backdrop to the campaign. Putin had presented the election as a measure of public support, while opposition participation was restricted.The voting also coincided with Ukrainian drone attacks across parts of Russia. Russian officials reported a large wave of drone attacks during the final day of voting, including strikes affecting the Moscow region. Ukrainian officials have separately described their long-range strikes as part of the ongoing conflict.What Happens Next?The preliminary results are expected to be followed by the formal certification of the election results by Russia’s Central Election Commission.If the current figures remain unchanged, United Russia will hold 355 of the 450 State Duma seats, giving it a constitutional majority larger than its previous record.The result will also shape Russia’s domestic legislative agenda as the Ukraine war continues and Moscow faces ongoing international pressure.Russia Election 2026 TimelineSeptember 18–20: Russia held its three-day parliamentary election.September 20: Voting concluded amid reports of Ukrainian drone attacks and cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure.September 21: Ella Pamfilova announced the preliminary seat distribution.Preliminary result: United Russia 355 seats, Communist Party 40, LDPR 25 and New People 20.Final results: The Central Election Commission is expected to formally confirm the final distribution after completing the counting and certification process.
