Russian authorities have reported attacks on voting systems and communication lines as the country’s parliamentary election entered its second day on Saturday (19 September).
Authorities said Moscow’s online voting system came under a strong attack overnight on Friday, but that the situation was under control.
Central Election Commission Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova was quoted by state media as saying attacks were continuing but were being successfully repelled.
Russia’s digital ministry also reported a sabotage attempt targeting communication lines in the Far East. The attack was thwarted and communications were restored, state media reported.
The 18-20 September election is the first State Duma vote since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow is treating it as a test of public support for the war.
The ruling United Russia party is widely expected to retain its dominance in Russia’s tightly controlled political system.
Most anti-war candidates were excluded from the ballot before voting began across Russia’s 11 time zones.
Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that the liberal Yabloko party, which supports a ceasefire in Ukraine, had breached electoral rules. The party denied the accusation.
Some Yabloko candidates are still standing in single-member constituencies, which make up half of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party has traditionally received support in the single digits.
President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of trying to interfere with the election, but provided no evidence.
Nationwide turnout stood at 32.58 per cent as of 1400 local time on Saturday, according to Central Election Commission data cited by state media.
The election has also caused a diplomatic dispute between Russia and Moldova over voting arrangements in Transdniestria, the separatist pro-Russian region.
Chisinau has objected to Moscow’s plan to open 15 polling stations for Russian nationals living there.
Moscow says the 220,000 residents of Transdniestria, a strip of land that broke away from Moldova in 1990 at the end of Soviet rule, hold Russian passports and are entitled to vote.
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