Russian Voters in Indonesia Hope Elections Strengthen Bilateral Ties

More than 212,000 Russian citizens had cast their ballots outside Russia by 7 p.m. Moscow time on Sunday, September 20, 2026, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Ivanov. The figure includes votes cast during early voting and the three-day election period and is expected to surpass the roughly 192,000 overseas votes recorded in the previous State Duma election in 2021.

"The voting has ended and vote counting is underway. As of 7 p.m. today, taking into account early voting and voting over three days, total voter turnout has exceeded 212,000. According to our estimates, the final overseas turnout will significantly exceed the figures from the previous Duma election," Ivanov said, as quoted by Antara.

In Indonesia, more than 200 Russian citizens voted at polling stations set up by the Russian Embassy, reflecting participation by members of the Russian community living in the country. Among them was Iaroslava Radugina, a Russian citizen who voted at the Russian Embassy in South Jakarta.

Having lived in Indonesia for two years while pursuing higher education, she expressed hope that the election would contribute to stronger cooperation between the two countries. "Indonesia is a great country, and I really like it. I hope there will be more opportunities for Indonesia and Russia to work together," Radugina said.

The election marked a personal milestone for Radugina, who was voting for the first time after becoming eligible to participate. "Today I feel nervous, but also happy," she said, describing the experience as an important step into adulthood.

According to Radugina, elections provide citizens with an opportunity to shape Russia's future direction. As a representative of a younger generation of voters, she expressed hope that the outcome would help promote stability and create greater opportunities for young people.

Another Russian voter in Jakarta, Olga Lukianova, also voiced hopes that relations between Indonesia and Russia would continue to expand. "I hope relations between Indonesia and Russia will continue to improve and develop across various sectors," Lukianova said.

She expressed hope that the future Russian parliament would work toward improving the welfare, health, and well-being of Russian citizens. Lukianova also noted that voting at the Russian Embassy in Jakarta proceeded smoothly and securely, allowing Russian nationals in Indonesia to exercise their voting rights without concern.

Russia's legislative election for members of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, was held from September 18-20, 2026, alongside regional leadership elections and local legislative contests. Voters were able to choose among candidates from 11 political parties. According to Russia's Sputnik news agency, approximately 20,700 parliamentary and regional leadership positions are being contested in the election.

Polling stations for Russian citizens in Indonesia operated in Jakarta and Denpasar, Bali on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Russian citizens also participated actively in other countries. More than 5,000 voters cast ballots in Egypt, nearly 3,800 voted in Armenia, 2,619 participated in Kyrgyzstan, while more than 2,000 voted in Uzbekistan. Additional turnout was reported from the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Turkmenistan, and Iran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously described the parliamentary election as the country's most important domestic political event, underscoring the significance of the vote for Russia's future political direction.

For many Russian citizens living in Indonesia, however, the election was not only about domestic politics but also an opportunity to express hopes for deeper cooperation and lasting friendship between Moscow and Jakarta. ***