Russian MFA 🇷🇺

🇷🇺 Voting in elections to Russia’s 9th State Duma has already ended at the majority of Russian diplomatic missions abroad.

But for our diplomats, the working day is far from over. The last polling station is set to close at 5:00 am Moscow time on September 21.

☝️ Closing the doors was only the beginning of the most important stage. Our colleagues must complete the formal procedures, sort the ballots, reconcile the figures against the number of ballots issued, and count the votes by hand. Then come the checks, the double-checks – and another check to make sure everything adds up.

Once the count is complete, the results must be recorded and submitted to Russia’s Central Election Commission for approval.

Every vote counts, and behind every ballot cast abroad is the prudent work of our colleagues.

📸 Here’s how voting unfolded at some of our embassies and consulates general:

• Albania
• Algeria
• Angola
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bolivia
• Botswana
• Britain
• Burundi
• Canada
• Cameroon
• CAR
• Chile
• Colombia
• Croatia
• Cuba
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Ecuador
• Ethiopia
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Greece
• Guinea
• India
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Lithuania
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Montenegro
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Netherlands
• Niger
• Norway
• Panama
• Poland
• Portugal
• Republic of Korea
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Turkiye
• Turkmenistan
• Tunisia
• UAE
• Uganda
• United States
• Venezuela
• Zimbabwe

#ELECTIONS2026

🗓 On September 20, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Ivanov, Chair of the Russian MFA Commission for Organising Elections Abroad, took part in a session at Russia’s Central Election Commission Information Centre on organising voting for Russian citizens abroad.

Key points:

• Organising elections to the 9th State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for Russian citizens abroad has been a top priority for Russian diplomatic and consular missions.

• As President of Russia Vladimir Putin noted, these elections will demonstrate the resilience of the state, the maturity of its political system and its ability to withstand any external threats, blackmail or aggression. They will express the collective will of millions of people and their determination to safeguard Russia’s sovereignty and security.

• Once again, this election campaign is taking place during the special military operation. For our diplomatic service, it poses a serious challenge and a test, against the backdrop of the Western “hybrid war” against our country.

• Despite all the obstacles, the Russian MFA has made every effort to ensure that our citizens abroad can fully exercise their right to vote. A total of 326 polling stations (288 back in 2024) have been established at Russian embassies and consulates general in 152 countries.

• Representatives of Russian and foreign media are present at many polling stations. Observers are monitoring compliance with electoral legislation. More than 120 observers from the Civic Chamber of Russia, the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly are present at 48 polling stations abroad.

• In coordination with Russia's Central Election Commission, 121 early voting visits were organised to communities with sizeable Russian populations. More than 25,000 people took part.

• In seven countries (Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Yemen, China, Kuwait and Libya), all voting took place ahead of the main election day to accommodate local work schedules and religious calendars.

• Voting has already ended in 38 countries, and the count is underway. As of 7:00 pm today, including early voting and voting over the three-day period (Cyprus, Thailand, South Ossetia), more than 212,000 people had cast their ballots (191,000 people back in 2021).

• This shows that our citizens remain undeterred by attempts to obstruct our work, the hybrid war waged against Russia or the toxic coverage in Western media.

• Russian citizens are politically engaged, they understand the importance of participating in elections under the current circumstances, and trust Russia’s electoral system.

🗳 Voting is still underway. With the time difference, the last polling stations abroad will close at 5:00 am Moscow time.

#ELECTIONS2026

🗳️ Voting has concluded at the Russian Embassy in London in the elections to the State Duma, the lower house of Russia's Parliament.

The polling station is now closed, and the count is under way. In the meantime, here's a glimpse of how the day unfolded.

Take a look at photos from the embassy's polling station, capturing the atmosphere of the day and Russian citizens casting their votes here in the British capital.

#ELECTIONS2026

🗳 September 20 – the main voting day abroad in elections to the 9th convocation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

Our fellow citizens have exercised their constitutional right and fulfilled their civic duty at polling stations at Russian diplomatic missions around the world.

In some countries, voting has already ended and the count is underway. In others, polling stations continue to welcome voters.

📸 Stay tuned to our channel for highlights from polling stations worldwide.

🇷🇺 By 13:00 local time, voting in the State Duma elections is in full swing at Polling Station No. 8352, located at the Russian Embassy in Pretoria.

🗳 Russian citizens are actively coming to the Embassy to cast their votes, with voting taking place in a calm and friendly atmosphere.

📍Voting in Pretoria is open from 08:00 to 20:00 at 316 Brooks Street, Menlo Park.

🪪 Please bring a valid Russian international passport to receive your ballot.

🇷🇺 YOUR VOTE IS THE STRENGTH OF RUSSIA!

#Elections2026

🇷🇺 September 20 – voting in elections to Russia’s State Duma begins at Russian diplomatic missions around the world, with polling stations opening at 8:00 am local time.

As the day moves across time zones, our diplomats in many countries are already welcoming voters, while their colleagues elsewhere are opening the doors to polling stations for Russian citizens eager to exercise their constitutional right.

📸 Here are a few glimpses of election day abroad:

• Australia
• Belarus
• Benin
• Britain
• Cambodia
• DPRK
• Ethiopia
• India
• Iran
• France
• Germany
• Japan
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon
• Moldova
• New Zealand
• Palestine
• Pakistan
• Syria
• Switzerland
• Tajikistan
• Thailand
... and many others, with more to come!

🕗 Polls close at 8:00 pm local time. Votes will then be counted and the results transmitted to Russia’s Central Election Commission.

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Voting abroad to the 9th convocation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation is taking place on September 18-20, 2026, at Russian embassies and consulates general in 152 countries. A total of 326 polling stations have been set up.

Information on the locations and opening hours of polling stations is best available on the digital platforms of Russian diplomatic missions.

#ELECTIONS2026