With democracy in action also in Russia, the United Russia party is leading the elections with 45.8 per cent

With democracy in action also in Russia, the United Russia party is leading the elections with 45.8 per cent.

Early results announced by Russia’s central election commission last night said United Russia was leading the elections with 45.8 per cent of the vote with just under 17 per cent of precincts reporting, while the Communist Party, its closest rival, appeared to have won only about 20 per cent per cent of the vote.

Russia's Sunday’s vote was also marred by allegations of “mass fraud.” The web site of Golos, the country’s single independent election watchdog, was knocked out in a massive cyber attack. The same happened to the sites of half a dozen independent-minded media. The Communist party said it had witnessed “mass fraud” with ballot stuffing and multiple 'carousel voting.

As polls closed, turnout was said to be just over 50 per cent, well down on the 2007 vote that saw almost 64 per cent of the electorate participate. In parts of Siberia and the Far East turnout appeared to have dropped to as low as forty per cent.

Sources:
rt.com
Telegraph
News.windowtorus
anhourago
en.rian
TheMoscowNews
en.gazeta.ru
Topix
Interfax