The three-day election is being held from September 18 to 20, with the ruling United Russia party seeking to maintain its dominant position in the lower house of parliament.
Voting is also taking place in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine that Moscow claims to have annexed, a move rejected by Kyiv as illegitimate. Reports from occupied Donetsk showed voters casting ballots in the presence of armed personnel.
The election is taking place in a tightly controlled political environment, with several candidates and groups opposed to the war prevented from competing.
The liberal Yabloko party, described as the only registered Russian party openly campaigning against the war, was barred from the nationwide party-list contest after a court cited alleged electoral violations. The party has denied wrongdoing, while some of its candidates are still contesting individual constituencies.
Other opposition figures have also faced disqualification and broader restrictions on political activity.
In a televised address ahead of the vote, President Vladimir Putin urged Russians to participate, presenting the election as an opportunity to demonstrate national unity and support for the country’s objectives in Ukraine.
The election comes as the effects of the war continue to be felt inside Russia, including economic pressures and disruption linked to Ukrainian attacks on oil, transport and logistics infrastructure.
There has also been speculation about another large-scale mobilisation after the election. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously claimed that Putin was preparing to mobilise about 500,000 additional Russians, although Moscow has not announced such a mobilisation and its timing remains unconfirmed.
The start of voting coincided with a major Ukrainian drone attack targeting Moscow and other parts of Russia.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 350 drones had flown towards the Moscow region during an 11-hour period beginning on Thursday evening, with 64 reportedly destroyed as they approached the capital.
Russia’s Defence Ministry separately said 629 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed or intercepted over Russian territory overnight. The figures were provided by Russian authorities and could not immediately be independently verified.
The attacks caused disruption at some Moscow airports as voting began, while reports also indicated disruptions to polling operations in parts of southern Russia and occupied Ukraine.
The election is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, September 20, with preliminary results expected that evening and near-final results expected on Monday.
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