Russia votes in Ukraine territories in controversial electoral push

Russia's parliamentary election has for the first time incorporated voters from territories seized from Ukraine during its ongoing military campaign. The Kremlin's move to include the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions—which Moscow claims as the "new regions"—marks an attempt to solidify its hold over contested areas that remain only partially under Russian control.

While the nationwide ballot ran from Friday through Sunday, voting in the annexed territories and border areas began in late March, with Russian officials citing security concerns for the extended voting period. Authorities have indicated that over 3.5 million eligible voters reside in these four regions.

The Ukrainian government has denounced the electoral process as illegal, arguing it violates international law and constitutes an attempt to legitimise an illegitimate annexation. Human rights activists have further alleged that residents in these territories face pressure to participate, raising questions about the voluntary nature of participation and the democratic validity of the vote.

The four regions were formally annexed by Russia in September 2022, despite remaining outside Moscow's complete military control. The international community, including Western nations, has rejected the annexation as unlawful, viewing the parliamentary elections there as a continuation of Russia's efforts to normalise its territorial claims through administrative and electoral means.