A Kremlin task force dedicated to countering foreign meddling has issued a stark warning, asserting that Western nations are actively preparing to interfere in Russia’s upcoming 2026 federal parliamentary elections. This claim comes as part of a document released by the commission and reported by the state-controlled news agency TASS.
“The commission records the active preparation of Western countries to organize attempts to interfere in the elections to the State Duma in 2026,”
stated the report. The document further elaborated that the United States and its allies had already engaged in preliminary attempts to disrupt the Russian electoral process during the 2024 elections.
Allegations of foreign interference
Despite these accusations, there is a notable irony, as Moscow has been implicated in attempts to sway elections in other nations. For instance, last year, Russia allegedly sought to influence Romania’s presidential election by promoting the pro-Russian independent candidate, Călin Georgescu. Furthermore, during a presidential election and an EU accession referendum in Moldova, also held in October, similar tactics were reportedly employed.
In the context of its own electoral processes, Russia’s recent presidential election, conducted without genuine political opposition, saw President Vladimir Putin securing a staggering 87 percent of the vote. This election has been widely criticized as a sham.
Concerns over electoral integrity
Putin’s ruling party, United Russia, has faced ongoing allegations of vote manipulation aimed at preserving its firm hold on power. Since 2001, Putin has remained a dominant figure in Russian politics, serving either as president or prime minister throughout this period.
The Kremlin’s accusations of Western interference are likely to amplify tensions in international relations, as Russia seeks to portray itself as a victim of external aggression while simultaneously being accused of undermining democratic processes elsewhere.