Putin says record turnout shows Russians back his military agenda in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said high voter turnout in the country's parliamentary election showed public support for his policies and for the armed forces fighting in Ukraine, after preliminary results gave his United Russia party a record parliamentary majority.More than 97% of the votes had been counted, with United Russia expected to win more than three-fourths of the 450 seats in the State Duma, according to election officials cited by news agency AP.Near-complete results showed the party securing 355 seats, or nearly 80% of the lower house, after winning more than 57% of the vote.The election, held over three days from September 18 to 20, was the first parliamentary poll since Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.It was also the first to include residents of four Ukrainian regions that Russia seized and declared annexed later that year.