The Russian Central Elections Commission does not dramatize the situation around the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which supported the Golos human rights organization monitoring Russian elections amongst other actors.

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"Federal laws guarantee monitoring and public control of elections," Central Elections Commission member Maia Grishina told Interfax.

She said the monitoring could be done by representatives of candidates and electoral associations. "They may assign their members with a deliberative vote to electoral commissions and bring monitors to polling stations," she said.

The media also monitors elections within the limits of its powers, Grishina said.

"Other organizations operate in line with their charters. As a rule, they render consultative services and take no direct part in monitoring," she said.

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