212,000 Russian Citizens Vote from Abroad, Including Jakarta

Moscow (ANTARA) - More than 212,000 Russian citizens have cast their votes from abroad, including in Jakarta, for the legislative elections of the ‘Duma’ or the lower house of the Russian parliament, as of Sunday (20/9) at 19:00 Moscow time.

“Voting has concluded and the vote count is underway. As of 19:00 today, accounting for early voting and the three-day voting period, the total number of voters exceeds 212,000. According to our estimates, the final turnout abroad this time will far exceed the figures from the previous Duma elections,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Ivanov.

He added that the final number of voters in the overseas polls is projected to significantly surpass the 192,000 recorded during the 2021 Duma elections.

According to Ivanov, this high level of public participation proves that despite various attempts at interference, hybrid warfare, and a highly toxic information background from Western media, Russian citizens remain politically active and continue to trust the electoral system.

In Egypt, more than 5,000 Russian citizens cast their votes across three polling stations as of 16:00 GMT (23:00 WIB), according to the Russian Ambassador to Egypt, Artur Lukmanov.

In Yerevan, Armenia, nearly 3,800 Russians voted at the Russian Embassy polling station. Meanwhile, 2,619 voters cast their ballots at several polling stations in Kyrgyzstan.

More than 2,000 Russians participated in the State Duma elections in Uzbekistan, according to the Russian Embassy. In Dubai, over 1,700 Russian citizens voted, based on data from the Russian Consulate General.

The Duma elections, held alongside other simultaneous elections, took place across the country from 18-20 September.

Overall, an estimated 20,700 parliamentary seats and elected positions are to be filled.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described these parliamentary elections as the most important domestic political event.