Putin votes online on unlicensed Windows Dell PC
The gist
Putin cast his Duma vote online on a Dell PC showing an "Activate Windows" watermark.
The unlicensed copy on foreign hardware undercuts Russia's tech-localization rules.
How it unfolded
- Sep 18, 2026Putin cast his vote online in elections for Russia's lower house, the Duma, in footage shared by Russian state media; seven regions including Moscow allowed online voting.
- Sep 19, 2026Moscow's online voting system was hit by cyberattacks during the Duma vote.
- Sep 20, 2026Russia's e-voting system came under "powerful, continuous" cyberattacks, and clips circulated showing Putin voting on a Dell PC with an "Activate Windows" watermark visible in the official Kremlin clip.