Russia’s first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine begins tomorrow, with its only anti-war party barred and genuine competition all but eliminated

Voting for a new Russian parliament begins tomorrow. The State Duma elections will run for three days, from September 18 to 20. This will be the first Duma election since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. But the candidates are largely the same: More than 70% of current lawmakers are seeking another term. Voters will elect 450 State Duma members: 225 through party-list voting and 225 from single-member districts, where they choose a specific candidate. As Meduza reported several months ago, the authorities intend to ensure there is no genuine competition in these elections.