According to calculations by Novaya-Europe, 261 participants in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have registered for United Russia’s primaries.
As of March 27, 2026, a total of 3,017 people from 85 regions had registered for the United Russia primaries. According to information on the official preliminary voting website, 261 of them are participants in the war in Ukraine. The largest number of such candidates is running in Moscow, with 38 out of 189. The Moscow region is second with 21 out of 322, and St. Petersburg is third, where 17 out of 62 candidates fall into this category.
In several regions where only a small number of seats are at stake this year, participants in the war make up more than half of all candidates. For example, in Yakutia, two candidates are taking part in the primaries, and both of them participated in the war in Ukraine. In the Chelyabinsk region, five of the nine candidates had been at war. The share of former military personnel is also high in the occupied territories: in the “LNR,” three veterans are among four participants; in the “DNR,” four out of seven; and in the Zaporizhzhia region, three out of six.
Registration of candidates for participation in United Russia’s primaries ahead of the September State Duma elections began on March 11. It will continue until April 30. The party plans to approve its list of candidates for the State Duma elections in early June at its congress.