MOSCOW, September 17. /TASS/. The West fails to see that elections in Russia are taking place amidst the bombings of polling stations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

"It is strange that the West do not see that the elections are taking place - among other things - amidst the bombings of polling stations, resulting in casualties," she said.

"It is strange that the West has never seen the killings of children by Ukrainian drones - drones that the West itself supplies," Zakharova emphasized.

The voting period to elect the 9th Russian State Duma is scheduled for September 18-20. For the first time ever, residents of the recently incorporated Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, will participate in legislative elections for the lower house of the Russian parliament. A total of ten parties are taking part in the election: United Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), the Liberal Democratic Party of the Russian Federation (LDPR), New People, A Just Russia - For Truth, the Party of Pensioners for Social Justice, the Communists of Russia, Rodina, the Party of Direct Democracy, as well as the Greens Ecological Party.

Elections for regional legislative bodies will also be held in 39 Russian constituent entities, alongside elections for regional leaders. In eight regions, the leaders will be elected directly, while in three regions, they will be chosen by the regional parliaments. A total of 23,000 seats will be filled.