New Delhi, Sept. 25 -- Russia's ruling United Russia party has secured a record 349 seats in the 450-member State Duma, according to final results announced by the Central Election Commission on Friday, giving the Kremlin-backed party its largest parliamentary presence to date.

The result exceeds United Russia's previous record of 343 seats, won in 2016, and follows Russia's first parliamentary election since President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier preliminary results had put the party's tally at 355 seats before the final count was announced.

Central Election Commission chair Ella Pamfilova said United Russia won 58% of the party-list vote and 209 of the 225 single-seat constituencies, brin...