President of the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov voted in the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation at the voting sites on Russian embassy grounds in Tskhinvali.

“I voted for a strong Russia and a strong president of the Russian Federation. I believe that every citizen of the Russian Federation living in South Ossetia is obliged to take part in the elections out of deep respect for the people of Russia, and those political processes that are taking place in Russia, and, of course, as a token of gratitude to the Russian leadership for the assistance provided to us," Bibilov said.

He stressed that, following the election results, the distribution of political forces in the State Duma of the Russian Federation is proportional to the fate of South Ossetia.

“The political processes that are taking place in the Russian Federation will somehow affect our life. We have observed the rhetoric of debates, including representatives of different parties, and some even in their statements made expressions that sow enmity in the North Caucasus do not alarm us," Bibilov said.

Voting for the elections of deputies of the State Duma began in South Ossetia at 10 polling stations.

South Ossetian polling stations in the elections to the State Duma are assigned to the Chita single-mandate constituency of the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Abkhaz ones to the Daursky single-mandate constituency of the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Pavlovsky single-mandate constituency of the Voronezh Region, the Vsevolozhsk single-mandate constituency of the Samara Region of the Leningrad Region and the Samara Region.

Russia recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent republics on August 26, 2008, after a five-day war with Georgia. Apart from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria, all states of the world consider these regions as Georgian territories under Russian occupation. Most residents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have Russian citizenship.