Two months after Democrats were locked out of power at the federal level, a pair of special elections in a part of northern Virginia where Donald Trump dramatically improved his performance in November will offer the first signs of how voters view the political landscape as the president-elect prepares to return to office.

The US Congress is set to officially confirm Donald Trump as the winner of the presidential election. This will be the final formal step toward his presidency before the inauguration. RBC-Ukraine explains how this process will unfold and whether there is a risk of unrest similar to that of 2021.

Voters in Virginia will begin the new year filling state Senate and House vacancies on Tuesday in a trio of special elections that could determine control of the narrowly divided