United Russia party sees 86 former combatants from Russia-Ukraine war win State Duma seats – almost a fifth of all members

Eighty-six former combatants from the Russia-Ukraine war who ran for the ruling United Russia party in Russia have entered the State Duma following the "elections" held on 18-20 September.

Source: Vladimir Yakushev, Secretary of General Council of United Russia and parliamentary candidate; Russian media outlet Agentstvo. Novosti; Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti

Quote from Yakushev: "If we are talking about participants in the special military operation , we are looking at about 86 people. This is a serious contribution. Plus we have another two 'Young Guards' [the party's youth movement – ed.] who won in this election campaign." 

Details: Yakushev called the turnout in these elections "unprecedentedly high". He added that according to preliminary data, United Russia "is leading the federal list in all regions of Russia without exception".

However, Russian media later reported that United Russia had demanded the retraction of reports regarding 86 former combatants entering the State Duma. RIA Novosti subsequently deleted the report, allegedly "to verify the data".

According to RIA Novosti, United Russia is set to win a record number of seats in the State Duma in the entire history of the party's participation in parliamentary elections. It gained 57.83% of the vote and leads in 208 [out of 225 – ed.] single-mandate constituencies. Based on the results of these "elections", the party will secure 355 parliamentary seats.

Early data shows that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation has secured 13.81% of the vote and is set to take 40 parliamentary seats. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia has received 8.98% and 25 seats; the New People party has received 7.96% and 20 seats; and A Just Russia has received less than 5% and four seats. Preliminary results indicate that the Rodina party will take one seat in the State Duma.

The final results of the "elections" to the State Duma will be tallied on 25 September.

For reference: The State Duma of Russia is the lower house of the Russian parliament (Federal Assembly) and its supreme legislative body. It comprises 450 MPs elected for a five-year term.

Background:

• On 28 June, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council and leader of the United Russia party, stated that the party would field several hundred former combatants from Russia's war against Ukraine as candidates in the upcoming autumn elections at various levels, including for the State Duma.
• Three days of voting in the elections for the Russian State Duma ended on 20 September. The ruling United Russia party is set to win around half of the vote, according to pro-Kremlin exit polls and early figures from Russia's Central Election Commission.
• On 17 September, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) called on the parliaments and governments of foreign states, international organisations and parliamentary assemblies to condemn the holding of sham elections to the State Duma in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and not to recognise their results.
• Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called on the international community not to recognise Russia's elections to the State Duma and regional parliaments, which the aggressor state is holding both on its own territory and in occupied Ukraine.

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