Kallas Criticizes Russian Election as “Veneer of Democracy”

By Staff, Agencies

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticized Russia’s parliamentary election, describing it as a “veneer of democracy” while accusing Moscow of suppressing political critics.

In a post on X on Monday, Kallas said the three-day State Duma election represented “another major setback for Russian democracy,” claiming that “their outcome was never in doubt.” She added that the vote demonstrated that only a “veneer of democracy” remained in Russia.

Preliminary results showed the ruling United Russia party retaining a commanding parliamentary majority, securing nearly 58% of the party-list vote.

Turnout exceeded 59%, compared with 51.7% in the previous parliamentary election in 2021, according to Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova.

Kallas also said she had proposed measures against those facilitating voting in territories claimed by Russia but internationally disputed.

The EU said it would not recognize elections held in Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson.

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK similarly described voting in those territories as a “sham” in a joint statement.

The criticism came amid reports of a major Ukrainian drone attack during the election period. Russian officials said more than 1,600 drones were launched toward Russia in an effort to disrupt the vote, killing two civilians in Moscow’s suburbs and damaging an oil refinery, residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.

Local officials also reported damage to buildings housing election commissions in frontline regions following Ukrainian strikes.

Kallas, who was appointed EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy in December 2024 after serving as Estonia’s prime minister and a member of the European Parliament, was subsequently mocked by some social media users over her criticism of the democratic character of Russia’s election.