Moscow:Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the State Duma elections held from September 18 to 20, alleging that Kyiv received financial, intelligence, and technical support from Western countries.

According to Anadolu Agency, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reported that several election officials and civilians were killed and wounded in drone attacks during the voting period. Zakharova stated that 41 people, including four children, were killed and 338 injured in the past week, accusing Ukraine of targeting civilian infrastructure in Russia with Western-supplied weapons.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the attacks mainly targeted polling stations, including schools, cultural centers, and social and administrative facilities, with over 70 precincts and territorial election commission buildings damaged by Ukrainian strikes.

Despite what Russia termed "fierce external pressure," it reported that Russian voters participated in the elections, demonstrating "resilience and unity." The ruling United Russia party secured 349 of 450 seats in the State Duma, according to the head of the Russian Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova.

Russia also criticized Ukraine's proposed 2027 budget, highlighting its $37.3 billion deficit as evidence of a sharp increase in defense spending. Moscow claimed that Ukraine plans to allocate about 43.8% of its GDP to defense, with nearly half earmarked for weapons and military equipment. Russia alleged that Kyiv relied on Western financial support, including potential aid from the European Union, G7 countries, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, to address its budget shortfall.

Additionally, Russia criticized a recent meeting of the Carpathian Eight initiative, which focuses on trade and security and includes Austria, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic, held in Ukraine's Ivano-Frankivsk region. Ukraine has yet to respond to Russia's accusations, and independent verification remains challenging due to the ongoing conflict.