MOSCOW. Nov 23 (Interfax) - Around 1,500 journalists from Russia and 34 other countries will be covering the elections to the fifth Russian State Duma, Chairman of the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) Vladimir Churov said.

"Approximately 1,500 journalists from Russia and 34 other countries have been accredited for the coverage of the elections to the fifth State Duma," Churov said during his meeting with the senior staff and students of the Moscow State University Department of Journalism on Friday.

To date, around 1,100 Russian journalists have been accredited, he said. In particular, from Russia there are 14 radio companies, 31 newspapers and magazines, 17 television companies and 18 news agencies that have been accredited, he said.

"As for the foreign press, by now 18 radio companies, 30 newspapers, 50 television companies and 19 news agencies have been accredited," Churov said. All in all, around 400 foreign journalists have been accredited for the coverage of the elections, the CEC chairman said.