Russia says powerful attacks hit Moscow electronic voting system as legislative election enters second day

Russia said on Saturday that Moscow's remote electronic voting system was subjected to a powerful cyberattack overnight, as citizens cast ballots on the second day of the three-day parliamentary election, state news agency TASS reported.

Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova said all attacks were repelled and remote electronic voting in Moscow was in standard operational mode, stressing that "the system’s security provides for an uninterrupted operational mode during the voting."

"According to our most recent information, the Moscow system was under a very powerful and continued attack throughout the night. This attack is ongoing and it is very large-scale and intense," she said.

Voting began on Friday in the parliamentary, as well regional and local elections. More than 111 million people are eligible to vote.

Voters are choosing all 450 members of the State Duma, with 225 seats contested through party lists and 225 in single-member constituencies. They will also cast ballots in local elections, and elect governors and regional legislatures.

Eleven parties are competing in the parliamentary election, including the ruling United Russia party and four parties currently represented in the lower house. Voting ends on Sunday.