Cyber incidents mark election day in Russia
Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has reported a massive cyberattack targeting the electronic voting system in Moscow. Despite the scale of the digital offensive recorded during the legislative elections, electoral authorities have guaranteed that the operational platform remains stable and shows no irregularities in its functioning.
Ella Pamfilova, chair of the entity, described the incident as a powerful and constant onslaught that lasted throughout the night. The institution’s main objective is to safeguard the legitimacy and transparency of an electoral process taking place in a complex political context.
The system has been the target of a persistent, high-intensity attack, but security mechanisms have allowed the process to continue without any issues reported by voters.
Central Election Commission of Russia
Controversy over remote voting
In parallel, the hacker collective calling itself CikLeak has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group has expressed its doubts regarding the reliability of the remote system, arguing that the platform could be vulnerable to manipulation, a stance that has sparked debate among various sectors of Russian society.
Citizen participation and political context
Despite digital tensions, citizen participation has shown significant figures. As of Saturday morning, 31.09% of the electoral roll had already exercised their right to vote in these elections, the first since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. Official data highlight that:
- Most voters in Moscow and its metropolitan area have opted for the electronic system.
- 70% of citizens who requested remote voting completed their ballot during the day on Friday.
- Key government figures, including President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, have made use of the remote modality.
The United Russia party, linked to the Kremlin, remains the predominant political force, seeking to maintain the constitutional majority achieved in 2016. As the electoral process continues over the weekend, authorities are maintaining constant monitoring of the technological infrastructure to ensure the successful conclusion of the election day.
