United Russia’s projected record majority reinforces Putin’s control over parliament—and gives the Kremlin a result it can portray as support for the war against Ukraine.

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.