War fatigue and anxiety in Russia ahead of parliamentary elections

From September 18 to 20, Russians vote for a new parliament, the State Duma, for the first time since 2022. Nearly half of respondents in a survey by state pollster FOM say alarm is the prevailing mood around them, and independent pollster ExtremeScan found 60% of Russians believe the war against Ukraine has negatively affected their daily lives. Rising prices, internet crackdowns, fuel shortages from Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries and rumors of a new mobilization are driving the anxiety, and some Russians are leaving the country fearing they could be drafted after the elections.