# Putin says polling-station lines show Russia ‘cannot be intimidated’; Moscow voters waited hours for paper ballots

https://mins.news/en/item/70820

- Meduza, 2026-09-23 14:54 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/09/23/putin-says-lines-at-polling-stations-show-that-russia-cannot-be-intimidated-in-moscow-people-waited-hours-for-paper-ballots-due-to-a-system-glitch

> Vladimir Putin said lines at polling stations during Russia’s State Duma election showed the country could not be intimidated, and claimed record turnout demonstrated public support for strengthening Russia. In Moscow, voters waited for hours to receive paper ballots after a malfunction in the electronic voter-list system. Opposition leaders had urged a noon protest, but the queues were smaller than in the 2024 presidential campaign.

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- [Russian Parliamentary Elections and Political System](https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-election-and-political-system) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-election-and-political-system.md

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