Russians are voting in a parliamentary election, Al Jazeera reports, with the ballot taking place while the war in Ukraine continues and President Vladimir Putin's control tightens. Al Jazeera has published a guide to who is on the ballot and why the vote matters.
According to CNN, the election has featured empty podiums, prizes offered to encourage electronic voting, and no opposition. Al Jazeera, in a separate piece, reports that the Kremlin is wary even of the "managed opposition" in Russia. The Guardian describes Russians going to the polls against the backdrop of the Ukraine war and Putin's tightening grip.
CNBC reports that Putin is bracing for the election as a stress test, with Russians said to be feeling the pain of a struggling economy. The outlets frame the vote as one shaped by the ongoing conflict and by domestic economic pressure.
The reporting points to a contest in which genuine competition is absent, according to CNN's account, and in which the authorities' main concerns appear to be turnout and the management of any dissent. Al Jazeera's coverage focuses on the candidates on the ballot and the significance of the result.
What to watch next: the official results and turnout figures, and how the Kremlin responds to any signs of public discontent as the war and economic strain persist.