Election officials say the Kremlin's main party has retained its majority in Russia’s parliament. Results from over 95% of polling stations show United Russia with just under 58% of the vote for the 225 seats apportioned by parties.

Instead, Moscow and Kyiv have been drawn into an escalating duel of long-range aerial strikes as fighting along the roughly 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line in eastern and southern Ukraine has slowed, restricted by large numbers of drones and ground robots threatening troop movements.