In photos: Russians abroad hold peace rallies on the main day of voting in Russia’s State Duma elections as voters at home write ‘No war’ on ballots

Opposition activists urged Russians to cast ballots at exactly noon on the final day of State Duma voting as a quiet protest against the war in Ukraine, now five years running. Turnout for the gesture was smaller than the 2024 'Noon Against Putin' effort, with eyewitnesses reporting only a handful of participants in several Russian cities.

Lines did form outside some Moscow polling stations, but reporting suggests a technical failure preventing voters from getting paper ballots was the more likely cause than the protest itself. Rallies in support of the same message were also held by Russians living abroad.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.