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Putin Faces Calls to Delay Russian Elections as Economy Slows and Ukrainian Drone Strikes Intensify
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Russian security officials are urging leader Vladimir Putin to postpone elections to the State Duma, citing economic difficulties, a decline in support for the ruling United Russia party, and increased drone attacks, according to Meduza on June 24, which cited two sources close to the presidential administration.
The sources said the proposal is being actively promoted by senior Federal Security Service officials and Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard (Rosgvardiya), a longtime associate and former bodyguard of Putin.
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One of the interlocutors said discussions about postponing—or effectively cancelling elections in the near future—began as early as spring 2026.
“Budget problems have started, there is continued price growth, cuts, and reductions [at enterprises]. It is clear that the situation is only getting worse, and this always affects the authorities’ ratings. Even with full control, holding elections under such conditions is a bold task,” the source told Meduza.
The same source added that parts of the security establishment adhere to the principle of “no person—no problem,” a mindset they have previously applied in areas such as internet restrictions. However, he stressed that the discussion remains informal and no official proposals have been submitted to the Russian leader.
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“There are no documents on the president’s desk, and possibly there will not be,” he said, adding that such conversations have intensified following Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow.
According to Meduza’s sources, opposition to the idea comes from Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev and the Kremlin’s domestic political bloc led by Sergey Kiriyenko. For Kiriyenko, the elections are seen as a key test of political influence, while Medvedev is reportedly interested in securing a prominent role, potentially the position of State Duma speaker.
One source said Putin himself is inclined to proceed with the elections.
“Firstly, Ukraine is not holding elections while we are. That is an important political factor. Secondly, cancelling elections would mean admitting that plans have been disrupted and that the situation is emergency-level. But for now, we are doing everything to demonstrate that everything is normal,” the source said.
According to Meduza, election law expert Andrei Buzin stated that elections can be delayed through the introduction of a state of emergency or martial law. Under the Law on Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights, the current parliamentary term would remain in force until all such restrictions are lifted.
At the same time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed on that Russia’s macroeconomic stability remains “absolutely secured,” despite heightened volatility in global energy markets and the increasing financial burden of the war against Ukraine.
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Speaking at a daily briefing, Peskov told journalists that “macroeconomic stability is absolutely secured, and this is not a matter of doubt.”
“The stability of the Russian economy is secured, macroeconomic stability is absolutely secured, and this is not a matter of doubt for anyone,” he reiterated.
The comments come amid growing signs of economic strain, including a widening federal budget deficit, declining state revenues, and a stock market that has fallen to its lowest level in more than three years.
According to The Moscow Times, Russia is currently facing an estimated $28 billion revenue shortfall, driven by weaker corporate earnings, lower oil prices, and a stronger ruble.
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Russia’s economic pressures are unfolding alongside continued Ukrainian strikes on key infrastructure deep inside Russian territory. One such attack occurred overnight on June 16, when Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Moscow Oil Refinery, a facility located roughly 15 kilometers from the Kremlin, despite multiple layers of Russian air defenses protecting the capital.
According to Defense Express, the refinery in Moscow’s Kapotnya district was the target of the operation. Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said the strike was conducted in coordination with the Special Operations Forces, military intelligence (HUR), and the Security Service of Ukraine.
The Moscow Oil Refinery is among the largest fuel-processing facilities supplying the Russian capital. Defense Express reports that it has an annual processing capacity of up to 11 million tons of oil and accounts for a significant portion of Moscow’s gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel supply.
The outlet also noted that drones reaching the site would have had to penetrate several concentric air defense zones surrounding the city.
The reported internal discussions in Moscow come amid broader assessments of public sentiment ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian intelligence has obtained internal Russian documents prepared for Vladimir Putin, indicating growing public dissatisfaction with his leadership and declining support for the ruling party ahead of the September vote.
According to Zelenskyy, the materials suggest that Kremlin officials are already warning Putin that public discontent is expected to grow further in the coming months and is unlikely to stabilize before the vote.
“We understand that Putin is rarely given completely truthful information without embellishment. But even what he sees in the documents that reach him still allows certain conclusions to be drawn,” Zelenskyy said.
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