Putin accuses Ukraine of interfering in Russian parliamentary election

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of interfering in Russia's parliamentary election and hindering peace talks, claiming Kyiv is not genuinely seeking negotiations. Putin also reiterated Russia's reliance on its nuclear triad and the need to improve anti-missile defenses. The comments were made during a meeting of Russia's Military-Industrial Commission.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of interfering in Russia's ongoing parliamentary election and of deliberately hindering peace talks aimed at ending the 4.5-year war. Speaking to Russia's Military-Industrial Commission, Putin claimed Ukraine had "long degenerated into a dictatorship" by not holding a presidential election despite the expiry of President Volodymyr Zelensky's mandate, a situation Kyiv attributes to the state of emergency in place since Russia's 2022 invasion. Putin provided no evidence for the interference allegation. He also cited a Ukrainian strike on a home in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia that killed a local election commission head as proof Kyiv does not seek peace. The Russian leader reiterated Moscow's reliance on its nuclear triad and the need to improve air defenses, as Ukraine has developed long-range drone capabilities. The election, which began Friday, is expected to show widespread support for the war, though most anti-war candidates were barred from running.