Russia's ruling pro-Putin party on track to win wartime election

Russia's ruling United Russia party was on track to easily win a parliamentary ⁠election that President Vladimir Putin has cast as a test of support for the war in Ukraine, partial official results showed on Sunday, after Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on the Russian capital.

In a tightly controlled political system which ​critics say does not tolerate genuine dissent, initial results showed ​United Russia comfortably ahead with 57.5% of the vote. ​Other parties like the Communists, the ultra-nationalist LDPR, the New People party and the Just Russia party — all of which vote the same way as United Russia on major issues — trailed by a huge margin but were on course to win seats in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament.