The format will now be extended to local elections and elections to the lower house of the Russian legislature. In compliance with the decision of the electoral commission, a referendum and a vote in elections (including a run-off vote) can be held during several consecutive days, but no longer than three days.
The vote count will start immediately after the closure of polling places on the last day of the vote.
The bill will now be submitted to Russian President Vladimir Putin for signing.
Bill Qualifying Alienation of Territories as Extremism
The upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, has also passed a bill qualifying violations of Russia’s territorial integrity, including alienation of territories, as extremism.
The bill, initiated by lower chamber lawmaker Pavel Krasheninnikov and upper chamber lawmaker Andrey Klishas, was drafted as part of the implementation of the constitutional amendments.
The bill will now be submitted to Russian President Vladimir Putin for signing.
Agreement on Balkhash Radar Station Transfer
The Federation Council has denounced the 2014 agreement with Kazakhstan on using the Balkhash radar station as part of the Russian missile warning system and its transfer to Russia.
The Balkhash node includes the Dnepr radar, used as part of the Russian missile warning and space control system. The Russian Defence Ministry has explained that the Balkhash node has become redundant after the commissioning of four new radar stations in Russia.
The commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Alexander Golovko previously said that the Balkhash was capable of detecting missiles at the distance of up to 1,900 miles, while the range of new radar stations in Barnaul, Omsk and Armavir is two times wider.