MOSCOW - The Russian State Duma, or lower parliament house, passed a bill on raising the retirement age on Thursday.

The bill raises the retirement age to 65 from 60 for men and to 60 from 55 for women, starting in 2019.

The bill allows mothers of multiple children to retire before the age of 60 and citizens, who under the current legislation will retire in the next two years, could get their pension six months before the new retirement age.

It will be sent to the Federation Council, or upper parliament house, for approval and then to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will sign it into law.