Election Official Calls First Day of Duma Voting in Kherson Region 'Excellent'

Marina Zakharova, described by Russian state news agency TASS as the head of the election commission in the Kherson Region, said the first day of voting in Russia's State Duma elections there was "excellent," citing high turnout at polling stations.

"The first day of voting in the State Duma elections in the Kherson Region was indeed very busy, with a large number of voters at polling stations," Zakharova was quoted as saying by TASS.

TASS did not provide independent turnout figures or additional details on the number of polling stations or ballots cast in the region on the first day of voting.

The Kherson Region is a Ukrainian territory that Russia claims to have annexed in September 2022, following a referendum that Ukraine and most of the international community have rejected as illegal and unrecognized. Russian forces do not control the entirety of the region, including its regional capital, Kherson city, which was retaken by Ukrainian forces in November 2022.

Ukraine's government and Western governments have consistently characterized elections and referendums organized by Russian authorities in occupied Ukrainian territories as illegitimate under international law. TASS's report did not address these objections or the disputed status of the territory.

Russia's State Duma elections, in which the region's Russian-installed administration is participating, are being held over multiple days, according to TASS.