Analyses cast doubt on United Russia's election result

23.09.2026 15:02 HotInfo

Parliamentary elections were held in Russia from September 18 to 20, with official results presenting Vladimir Putin's United Russia party as a decisive winner. However, analyses cast doubt on the extent of its support, stating that the party actually received approximately 34 percent of the vote. novinky.cz ↗

Recalculations by the Novaya Gazeta Europe server were based on data in which disputed votes were excluded from the count. Another analysis pointed out that the official results describe the historically best result for the ruling party, putting support at 58 percent. The discrepancy between the official data and alternative calculations has thus raised questions about the conduct and evaluation of the elections. forum24.cz ↗

Attention was also drawn to a video showing Vladimir Putin casting his vote via a computer running an unlicensed version of Windows 10. The recording was meant to encourage voter turnout, but instead became the subject of international mockery. Der Standard ↗

Ahead of the elections, hockey player Alexander Ovechkin publicly voiced his support for Putin. His appearance fits into a broader picture of support for the president from part of the Russian sporting community. denik.cz ↗

After the elections, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov also criticized the country's direction, pointing to the war with Ukraine and declining living standards. The differing assessments of the results could further fuel disputes over the credibility of Russia's electoral process and the Kremlin's standing. zpravy.aktualne.cz ↗