Russia claims Vladimir Putin’s party wins votes in annexed Ukraine regions
- Preliminary results in Russian local and regional elections indicate a clear sweep by Kremlin candidates
- Balloting in the occupied areas of Ukraine has been denounced by Kyiv and the West as a sham
Russia claimed that the United Russia party, which staunchly backs President Vladimir Putin, had won local ballots in four Ukrainian regions occupied by Russia.
The Kremlin claimed to have annexed the eastern and southern territories last year despite not having full military control over them. The elections have been dismissed by Ukraine and its allies as a sham.
Data published by Moscow and proxy officials showed voters in the war-battered territories, where Ukraine is clawing back ground, had backed United Russia with more than 70 per cent of the ballot in each territory, state-run news agencies reported on Sunday.
The polls also being held across Russia came ahead of presidential elections next year expected to prolong Putin’s rule until at least 2030.
His opponents are in exile or jail and Moscow has criminalised criticism of its conflict in Ukraine and detained thousands for speaking out.
