Russian officials say online voting system attacked during parliamentary election
Russia's election commission reported cyber attacks on Moscow's online voting platform and communication lines in the Far East on the second day of the September 18-20 parliamentary vote, saying the incidents were being repelled.
Russian authorities said the online voting system used in Moscow faced a cyber attack on Saturday, the second day of the parliamentary election that runs from Sept. 18 to 20. The Central Election Commission (CEC) reported that the assault was ongoing but being successfully repelled, and the digital ministry said a sabotage attempt on communication lines in the Far East had been thwarted and services restored.
The State Duma election, the first since Russia began its full-scale war in Ukraine, is expected to see the ruling United Russia party retain its majority. The Supreme Court recently barred the liberal Yabloko party from the ballot, though some of its candidates remain in single-member constituencies.
President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of trying to interfere with the vote, but offered no evidence. At 1400 local time on Saturday, the CEC recorded a nationwide voter turnout of 32.58 percent.
In the breakaway Transdniestria region of Moldova, Moscow’s plan to open 15 polling stations for Russian citizens sparked a diplomatic dispute with Chisinau, which objected to the move.