Putin’s party wins Russian regional elections

By AFP
September 10, 2024
In this photograph, Russias President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on September 6, 2024. — AFP
In this photograph, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on September 6, 2024. — AFP  

MOSCOW: Russia´s ruling party won a resounding victory in every regional election it contested last week, official results showed on Monday, in what authorities cast as a show of support for President Vladimir Putin´s government.

Russia has banned, jailed or exiled all major opposition politicians since launching the Ukraine offensive in 2022, with elections largely becoming a rubber stamp for Putin and his United Russia party.

The heads of 21 regions went up for election between September 6-8, including the region of Kursk, where Ukraine still controls dozens of villages after mounting a major cross-border offensive last month.