MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party has won 355 seats in Russia’s 450-member Duma.

The figures were released by election chief Ella Pamfilova on Monday. They are based on preliminary results from the three-day election.

More than 95 percent of the votes had been counted, according to Pamfilova. She said final results would be announced later this week.

The result gives United Russia a larger parliamentary majority than its previous record.

The party won 343 seats in the 2016 parliamentary election. Its latest result would therefore increase its number of seats.

The election was Russia’s first parliamentary vote since Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive in 2022.

The vote took place under strict political conditions. Moscow has also banned criticism of its military campaign in Ukraine.

According to the preliminary results, no parties critical of Putin took part in the election.

Pamfilova said voter turnout was above 59 percent. She thanked Russians who participated in the election.

She said voters had faced what she described as “psychological pressure” on the country.

The Communist Party finished second in the preliminary results. It secured 40 seats in the Duma.

The nationalist LDPR party won 25 seats. The New People party secured 20 seats.

United Russia has remained a major force in Russian politics since the early 2000s.

Putin has been in power since December 31, 1999. He has served as president or prime minister during this period.

The parliamentary election determines the composition of Russia’s lower house.

The Duma has 450 seats in total. United Russia’s reported 355 seats represent a significant majority of the chamber.

However, the figures remain preliminary until the electoral authorities complete the counting process.

Pamfilova said the final results would be released later in the week.

The election was closely watched because it was the first parliamentary vote since Russia began its full-scale military operation in Ukraine.

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The results will determine the balance of seats in Russia’s lower house for the upcoming parliamentary term.