The European Commission has criticized Russia's current State Duma elections, accusing the country’s authorities of "systemic and institutionalized pressure" aimed at preventing the democratic opposition from participating in the elections, Bild reports.

The vote is being held from Friday to Sunday.

Many anti-war candidates were barred from running, and the Yabloko party, which advocates a ceasefire in Ukraine, was excluded from the Russian federal elections.

Brussels said it does not recognize the vote or its results in "Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine."

Kyiv also has called the elections being held there illegal and stressed that they do not change Ukraine's internationally recognized borders.