Baltics: News

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As war reaches home, Russia's carefully managed elections face a reality check

In Russia, where elections offer little real uncertainty, the Kremlin still stages the ritual of competition — a carefully managed exercise designed not to choose leaders but to reinforce President Vladimir Putin's claim to legitimacy. With the upcoming parliamentary elections set for Sept. 20, the first since the start of the all-out war against Ukraine, the Kremlin's political wing is tasked with a risky endeavour — mustering up high numbers for Putin's United Russia party in a country stuck

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during the Russia-ASEAN Summit in Kazan, Russia, on June 18, 2026.

About Baltics

The Baltics comprise Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, three NATO member states on the Baltic Sea that together cover 175,000 square kilometers (67,568 square miles). The countries have a combined population of approximately 6 million. The Baltics strongly support Ukraine with military aid, refugee assistance, and international advocacy, and view Russian aggression as an existential threat due to their shared history of Soviet occupation.

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Key developments on June 19: * Kyiv targets Moscow for second day in a row following record drone assault; * Moscow Oil Refinery halts operations after largest-ever drone attack on Russian capital, General Staff says; * US senators propose using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's military; * Australia announces $70 million in arms funding for Ukraine through PURL initiative; * Western allies pledge $4 billion in military aid for Ukraine at Ramstein summit. Moscow came under attack

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