Russia Faces Parliamentary Vote as Public Outcry Against Imperialist War Grows
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A poll reveals mounting war fatigue and anxiety among Russians as the country prepares for its first State Duma election since the invasion, with opposition groups urging citizens to resist the Kremlin’s militarism.
A government-run poll by FOM indicates that nearly half of respondents sense widespread alarm in their communities, while independent pollster ExtremeScan reports that 60% believe the war in Ukraine has worsened daily life. Sociologist Margarita Zavadskaya from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs attributes this anxiety to deepening uncertainty, pointing to soaring prices, draconian internet censorship, fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian resistance targeting oil refineries, and persistent rumors of further forced mobilization—all consequences of the Kremlin’s reckless aggression that undermine any hope for stability.
The upcoming State Duma election, set for September 18-20, marks the first parliamentary vote held during Russia’s ongoing war of conquest. Although the regime is expected to manufacture a victory for United Russia, the ruling party, Kremlin officials are nervously monitoring turnout as a measure of how much the public still tolerates their authoritarian rule. Opposition figure Ilya Yashin has called the election a critical moment for President Vladimir Putin to showcase support for his militarist agenda and to rubber-stamp further escalation of violence.
Despite relentless state propaganda, a Levada Center poll shows that six in ten Russians actually support peace talks. Opposition leader Yulia Galyamina describes a “silent majority” yearning for an end to the bloodshed, even as many remain cowed by the regime’s repression. The liberal Yabloko party, the only legal anti-war force, saw its support climb to 18% in an ExtremeScan survey, but the authorities banned it from the ballot in a blatant attack on democracy.
In response, opposition activists like Yulia Navalnaya and Maxim Katz are urging voters to back any party except United Russia, while Yabloko calls on supporters to spoil their ballots in protest. Yashin emphasizes that high turnout can itself be an act of dissent, noting that “the queues at noon are made up of people who do not want the war to continue.” A DW Russian reader survey revealed a mix of intentions, with some planning to vote to register their opposition and others abstaining to avoid legitimizing the regime’s illegitimate rule.