Russians began three days of voting on Friday.

This parliamentary election is taking place during wartime.

The election has almost no opposition.

It is expected to keep the Kremlin’s political control.

Authorities spread voting over the weekend, ending Sunday.

They did this to raise turnout among 111 million eligible voters.

They also allowed online voting.

Turnout was about 30% as of late Friday, the Central Election Commission said.

This number includes online votes.

The Kremlin wants this election to show public support for the war.

It is the first election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Kremlin has also tried to remove any sign of dissent.

President Vladimir Putin told the nation that voters’ choice would show millions stand behind the fighters.

The Kremlin said Putin voted online Friday.

It released images of him at a computer.

United Russia is the main Kremlin party.

It is almost certain to keep control of the lower house, the State Duma.

Smaller “systemic opposition” parties are also expected to keep their seats.

These parties vote with the government on key issues.

Voters cast two ballots: one for parties and one for individual candidates in single-seat constituencies.

The liberal Yabloko party was the only registered group that criticized the war.

Russia’s Supreme Court removed it from the ballot last month.

Voting is also taking place in four Ukrainian regions Moscow illegally annexed, plus Crimea.

This is happening for the first time.

Kyiv called the voting there illegal.

It urged foreign governments not to recognize it.

The European Commission also called it illegal.

It said the EU will never recognize the results.

In Sochi, polling stations briefly closed over a drone threat.

In the Russian-held Luhansk region, 14 polling stations used backup power.

Ukrainian drones damaged electrical lines, election head Ella Pamfilova said.