Immediate Resolution of Sabotage Consequences
On the night of September 19, two acts of sabotage occurred on the backbone fiber optic communication lines of the Rostelecom company in the territory of the Far Eastern Federal District. In one instance, perpetrators attempted to saw through a support pole, while in the other, they cut a cable. Ella Pamfilova, Chair of the Central Election Commission (CEC), stated that the effects of these actions were resolved in less than an hour, preventing serious disruptions in the voting systems.
The prompt restoration of communication covered the Sakhalin and Magadan regions, Kamchatka Krai, and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The quick response of technical teams was a key factor in maintaining stable communications at a critical moment — during the second day of voting in the State Duma and regional elections.
Technical Challenges in the Capital
In addition to the incidents in the Far East, on September 18 in Moscow, a technical failure was recorded due to hacker attacks on electronic voting terminals. According to Olga Kirillova, Chair of the Moscow City Election Commission, the terminals went offline briefly, and system operations were quickly restored.
This failure highlighted the vulnerability of electronic voting systems to cyber threats; however, timely intervention by specialists prevented widespread consequences. This event served as an additional test for the technical support teams working on election day.
Police Reports and Incidents at Polling Stations
On September 19, the CEC recorded 367 police reports related to the elections. These complaints involved various violations and incidents, reflecting a high level of public attention and engagement in the voting process.
In the Komi Republic, a polling station was set on fire, marking one of the most serious incidents on election day. Despite this, law enforcement responded quickly to the call, preventing further damage and ensuring voter safety.
Rostelecom’s Role in Ensuring Communications
Rostelecom, the operator of the backbone communication lines in the Far East, played a key role in restoring infrastructure. Company specialists detected and contained the damage, enabling communication to be restored within an hour.
Rostelecom’s actions demonstrated a high level of emergency preparedness and underscored the importance of investing in network reliability, especially during periods of increased demand, such as elections.
Conclusions on the Readiness of the Electoral System
The experience of September 18–19 showed that the Russian electoral system is equipped with effective mechanisms to respond to technical and emergency situations. The rapid restoration of communication lines and resolution of electronic voting malfunctions attest to the high professional training of the services involved.
Nevertheless, incidents including sabotage and cyberattacks emphasize the need for continuous improvement of technical and organizational security measures to ensure transparency and stability of the electoral process.
The key takeaway — rapid and coordinated actions by the services minimize the impact of threats during important public events.