Kremlin hails election of Ukraine war veterans to Russian parliament

The Kremlin on Friday praised the election of 49 veterans of the war in Ukraine to the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, suggesting they would play a significant role in the legislative process. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the outcome as "excellent" and stated that the experience of these "heroes" is in high demand, with the election results confirming this sentiment.

The elections, which took place over three days, saw the ruling United Russia party secure a landslide victory, winning 355 seats in the 450-seat Duma. This result further solidifies President Vladimir Putin's control over the country. United Russia's general secretary, Vladimir Yakushev, initially indicated that 86 veterans might have been elected, later revising the number to 49.

Western governments have criticized the polls, particularly those held in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, labeling them as a "sham." The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, stated that the elections were "another major setback for Russian democracy," citing the silencing of dissent and exclusion of international monitors. Russia's supreme court had previously banned the only party opposing the war from participating.