Russians have begun voting in a three-day parliamentary election as the war in Ukraine continues, while Poland has warned that Russia could be preparing drone or missile attacks against countries supporting Kyiv.
Voting opened on Friday in Russia's first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The election will determine all 450 seats in the State Duma, with voting continuing through Sunday.
President Vladimir Putin has presented the election as a measure of national unity and support for Russia's war effort. In a televised address, he urged Russians to vote, saying participation would demonstrate the country's resolve in the face of external pressure.
The ruling United Russia party currently dominates the State Duma, while most prominent anti-war opposition figures have been excluded from the ballot. The liberal Yabloko party was barred from the nationwide party-list contest, although some of its candidates are running in individual constituencies.
The vote is taking place amid economic pressure and growing concerns about the impact of the war. Ukrainian drone attacks have disrupted parts of Russia's fuel supply, while businesses are also dealing with high interest rates, labour shortages and Western sanctions.
Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russian plans could include drone and missile attacks against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland. Tusk said intelligence assessments indicated that Moscow could seek to make such attacks appear accidental in an effort to weaken NATO's willingness to respond collectively.
Tusk did not publicly identify the intelligence agencies behind the assessment. His warning came after Poland activated its air defences and temporarily suspended operations at airports near the Ukrainian border in response to Russian drone activity.
The warning comes as NATO members continue to assess lessons from the war in Ukraine. Reuters reported that Ukrainian and Western defence officials have raised concerns that the rapid development of drones and other battlefield technologies has moved faster than some NATO procurement and military planning processes.
Poland has said it is strengthening cooperation with Ukraine and other allies as the security situation develops. Tusk is also travelling to Kyiv to discuss defence measures and possible additional sanctions against Russia.
The Russian election and the latest security warnings therefore come against a backdrop of continuing military escalation and heightened concern among European governments about the possibility of the conflict creating risks beyond Ukraine's borders. Claims about future Russian attacks remain assessments and warnings rather than confirmed events.