EU announces new sanctions over Russian State Duma elections

September 21, 2026 at 04:10 PM2 min

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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced new sanctions against Russia over the State Duma elections held September 18-20. The sanctions target those involved in organizing the vote and those responsible for undermining free and fair elections in Russia. The announcement follows the exclusion of the Yabloko party from the federal list and elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Key Facts

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced new sanctions against Russia over the State Duma elections held September 18-20.
The sanctions target individuals involved in organizing the vote and those responsible for undermining free and fair elections in Russia.
The EU condemned elections held in the Donetsk People's Republic, Luhansk People's Republic, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as a violation of international law.
The Yabloko party was removed from the federal list after a lawsuit by the Rodina party, according to RBC.
Preliminary results show United Russia winning 355 of 450 mandates, a constitutional majority.

Sanctions Announcement

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced new sanctions against Russia over the State Duma elections held September 18-20. The sanctions target individuals involved in organizing the vote and those responsible for undermining free and fair elections in Russia. Kallas said the elections highlighted the continuing and deepening erosion of democracy in Russia under an increasingly authoritarian political atmosphere. The EU also condemned the illegal organization of so-called elections in occupied Ukrainian territories as a violation of international law, including the UN Charter.

Election Context

The State Duma elections were held in Russia from September 18 to 20. The Yabloko party was removed from the federal list after a lawsuit by the Rodina party, according to RBC. Kallas said the exclusion of Yabloko, the only party with an anti-war program, further restricted the choice of Russian voters. Preliminary results show United Russia winning 355 of 450 mandates, a constitutional majority and the largest faction in the party's history.

Occupied Territories

The EU condemned elections held in the Donetsk People's Republic, Luhansk People's Republic, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as a violation of international law. The EU reaffirmed its unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Brussels stated it will never recognize the conduct of elections in territories not controlled by Kyiv.