Over 1,000 Cyberattacks Target Russian Elections, Ukraine Suspected

• •Over 1,000 DDoS attacks reported against Russian election infrastructure.
• •Attacks are suspected to be coordinated by foreign groups, possibly Ukraine.
• •First parliamentary elections since the start of the Ukraine invasion in 2022.

The Russian Election Commission reported over 1,000 DDoS attacks aimed at disrupting parliamentary elections. Ella Pamfilova, the commission's chair, indicated that these attacks were executed by highly skilled groups using AI tools, with many attempts originating from abroad, suggesting Ukrainian involvement. The attacks targeted the election infrastructure, which includes telecommunications systems. These elections are the first since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with over 111 million eligible voters. Voting is also taking place in occupied Ukrainian territories, which Ukraine and the EU deem illegal. The election process has been criticized for lacking genuine opposition, as the only anti-war party was removed from the ballot. Voting began on September 18, 2026, and is set to conclude today.