United Russia projected to sweep Duma seats ahead of final count

The main Kremlin party, United Russia secures increased dominace in its country's lower house in a tightly-controlled election that has excluded virtually any genuine opposition.

Some 95% of polling stations have counted ballots cast by 59% of the eligible 111 million voters that turned out over the course of three days to decide on the future of the State Duma.

United Russia, the main Kremlin party, increases its majority in the lower house in this first parliamentary election since President Vladimir Putin launched war on Ukraine.

Preliminary results indicate United Russia would get 355 out of 450 Duma seats, according to the Central Election Commission, with final results set to be announced Friday.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the New People Party, and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, representing the so-called "systemic opposition" that vote in sync with Kremlin wishes on all key issues, stand to fill the remaining seats.

The Yabloko Party, often considered the only real opposition, was struck off the ballot ahead of the vote. Amid intensifying exchanges of attacks with Ukraine and a strained economy, the Kremlin wants the balloting to underline public support for its military action. The main Kremlin party's sweeping win comes with little surprise for most Russians.

In Moscow, residents say the results represent a continuation of years of tight-grip control. Voters expect little change to come from the election. "There definitely won't be any changes; there were only a few who voted for someone else," one Moscow resident says.

In Kyiv, scepticism mounts. Authorities there denounces the election, which was also held in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine, and is urging other countries not to recognise the results.

Some Ukrainians call the exercise "a modern day farce designed to create the illusion of choice," while others are labelling it "a criminal offence." Still, some in Kyiv say they remain hopeful as their president, Volodomyr Zelenskyy, is said to push for energy ceasefire ahead of winter during sideline talks with US President Donald Trump when in New York later this week for the annual UN General Assembly meeting.