MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. The number of polling stations abroad where Russians can vote in the upcoming State Duma elections has decreased by more than 60 in the Western countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

"Polling stations are opening where our citizens who are abroad, either on permanent jobs or business trips, can participate in the elections. We are opening polling stations in 152 countries. A total of 326 of these stations are in countries with unfriendly governments," Lavrov announced at a meeting with students and faculty of the MGIMO University. According to Lavrov, these figures are "practically comparable to what we saw in previous elections - both five years ago and the latest presidential election."

"However, the number of polling stations in the West has been reduced by more than 60 due to the closure of our consulates," he noted.

Lavrov clarified that the number of polling stations had decreased due to "a reduction in locations and staffing."

"We perceive this as a situation where you can't force someone to be nice. There are many proverbs that explain this situation and suggest what needs to be done. In general, we have never wanted to be liked. We simply wanted to negotiate fairly. They don't know how to negotiate fairly," Lavrov emphasized.

At the same time, he assured that Russian "representatives abroad are actively participating in the election campaign, and polling stations are opening" for voting.

Elections of the ninth State Duma will be held from September 18 to 20, 2026.