MOSCOW, June 16. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree calling elections to the State Duma (lower house of parliament) to be held on September 20.
The document has been published on the official legal information website.
"The elections of members of the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly are hereby set for September 20. The decree takes effect on the day of its official publication," the document reads.
For the first time ever, residents of Donbass and Novorossiya will participate in parliamentary elections.
More than 2,200 elections at various levels are expected on the single election day, in addition to the State Duma vote. About 20,700 legislative seats and elected posts will be up for grabs. The elections will particularly include votes for the heads of 11 regions, with eight chosen through direct votes, and three elected by legislative assemblies. As many as 39 Russian regions are set to hold regional parliamentary elections.