{
  "id": 9745387,
  "title": "One in three members of Russia’s new State Duma has ties to the war in Ukraine. Some are accused of war crimes. Here’s who they are — and what they’ve done.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/one-in-three-members-of-russias-new-state-duma-has-ties-to-the-war-in",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T09:59:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/09/25/one-in-three-members-of-russia-s-new-state-duma-has-ties-to-the-war-in-ukraine-some-are-accused-of-war-crimes-here-s-who-they-are-and-what-they-ve-done"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "According to preliminary results, United Russia has secured over three-quarters of the seats in Russia's new State Duma, following the country's first elections since the start of the war in Ukraine. Among the 450 lawmakers, it is reported that 49 individuals who participated in the \"special military operation\" will be part of the party's ticket, fulfilling President Putin's request to elevate military personnel into Russia's \"new elite.\" However, this \"war faction\" is just a part of the broader group of lawmakers connected to the conflict.\n\nOut of the 148 lawmakers in the \"war faction,\" some have directly fought in the war, while others have contributed to it through various means, such as financing, providing infrastructure support, or even serving as military medics or instructors. It is worth noting that not all those with the \"war participant\" label have concrete evidence of military service. Some have been involved in humanitarian trips to the front or received recognition for their contributions to supporting the war effort without having fought directly.\n\nFor instance, some potential deputies have publicly claimed to have fought in the war, although their accounts have raised doubts. Dmitry Sablin and Vitaly Milonov, both re-elected to the State Duma, have been accused of exaggerating their military service. Sablin's website stated that he joined a reconnaissance unit in October 2022, while \"military correspondent\" Semyon Pegov described him as \"constantly in the field\" since the invasion began. Meanwhile, flight data published by an independent Russian investigative outlet corroborated these claims.",
  "summary": "Russia has held its first State Duma elections since the start of the full-scale war. According to preliminary results, United Russia has won a record number of seats — more than three-quarters of the chamber. The party has already said that 49 “participants in the special military operation” will become lawmakers on its ticket, effectively answering Putin’s call for military personnel to become…",
  "key_points": [
    "49 Russian lawmakers linked to Ukraine war in new State Duma",
    "Some war faction members accused of war crimes",
    "Doubts raised over lawmakers' claimed military service"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business Insider",
        "title": "Russia's once-rare turbojet drones that fly twice as fast are now attacking Ukraine by the thousands",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/russias-once-rare-turbojet-drones-that-fly-twice-as-fast-are-now",
        "published": "2026-09-25T05:41:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Kyiv Independent",
        "title": "General Staff: Russia has lost 1,525,570 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-525-570-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb",
        "published": "2026-09-25T06:24:20.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Russia attacks Ukraine with nearly 300 strike and jet drones - Air Force",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/russia-attacks-ukraine-with-nearly-300-strike-and-jet-drones-air-force",
        "published": "2026-09-25T07:43:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Interfax-Ukraine",
        "title": "Zelenskyy:Ukraine awaits response after countries contact Russia over reciprocal ceasefire in Black Sea",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/zelenskyy-ukraine-awaits-response-after-countries-contact-russia-over",
        "published": "2026-09-25T08:24:34.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "US proposes UAE host trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia on war, Zelensky says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/us-proposes-uae-host-trilateral-meeting-with-ukraine-and-russia-on",
        "published": "2026-09-25T09:38:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "At least four killed in Ukraine Russia drone strike exchange",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/at-least-four-killed-in-ukraine-russia-drone-strike-exchange",
        "published": "2026-09-25T09:54:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Meduza (English)",
        "title": "Russian state news agency published a column threatening Lithuania with Russia’s ‘next SVO.’ Hours later, it was deleted.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/russian-state-news-agency-published-a-column-threatening-lithuania",
        "published": "2026-09-25T10:30:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Ex-N.C. State trainer accused of sexual abuse is arrested in Florida",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/ex-n-c-state-trainer-accused-of-sexual-abuse-is-arrested-in-florida",
        "published": "2026-09-25T10:41:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}