A Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in the remote Amur region of far eastern Russia near the Chinese border, killing six of the seven crew members aboard. The Defense Ministry confirmed the crash occurred in an uninhabited area during routine training operations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on September 25 that all proposals for resolving the war with Ukraine remain on the negotiating table, while adding that Russia still needs to consider what is in its interests. The remarks came amid competing claims over strikes and casualties, with no agreement yet on a ceasefire or resumption of negotiations.
Vladimir Putin's United Russia party secured a record supermajority with approximately 355 of 450 State Duma seats in Russia's first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in a tightly controlled vote that excluded opposition parties critical of the Kremlin.
Russia opened polling stations for a three-day parliamentary election that President Vladimir Putin frames as a referendum on support for the war in Ukraine. United Russia is expected to win decisively, with most anti-war candidates barred from running.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Russia has no aggressive intentions toward Europe and is ready to restore relations, even as he accused NATO of expanding and preparing for war. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, warned of intensifying Russian hybrid attacks against the continent.
Ukraine fired a barrage of drones targeting 16 Russian regions as Russia held parliamentary elections, the first since the invasion began. The Black Sea resort city of Sochi temporarily closed beaches due to threats of Ukrainian sea drone attacks.
Russia's ruling United Russia party is winning the country's first parliamentary election since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, according to early results from the tightly controlled vote held over three days. The Kremlin sought to use the election to showcase popular support for the war.
Russia's FSB security service announced the detention of Nicolae Kochu, a 21-year-old Moldovan citizen, suspected of shooting Russian Aerospace Forces General Nikolay Varpakhovich in the Astrakhan region. Russian authorities claim Kochu was recruited by Ukraine to carry out the assassination attempt, which is the latest in a series of attacks on Russian military personnel linked to the war in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin in an hour-long phone call to swiftly end the war in Ukraine, suggesting that US-Russia relations could be "fully restored" and trade prospects opened if the conflict concludes, according to Kremlin officials.
Trump administration envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on September 5 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a renewed push to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Both Russia and Ukraine agreed to a 72-hour pause on strikes against each other's capitals during the diplomatic talks.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly floated a trilateral summit between President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a secret visit to Moscow. The proposal came as Washington seeks to restart stalled Russia-Ukraine peace talks, though Putin has rejected similar meeting formats in the past.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia intends to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops for the war effort following parliamentary elections in mid-September. The warning comes as Russia's voluntary recruitment system struggles to compensate for battlefield losses.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia will seize European merchant vessels if European countries continue targeting Russian ships, with the Pacific Fleet commander stating forces are ready to inspect and detain vessels from hostile states. Putin made the threat while speaking aboard a Russian warship.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv has delivered new proposals to American negotiators aimed at ending the war with Russia, while Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov told the BBC that Putin can no longer claim victory in Ukraine. The developments come as Russia reportedly increases ballistic missile production and Ukraine warns against territorial concessions.
Russia's Supreme Court ruled to exclude Yabloko, the country's only registered anti-war party, from appearing on the ballot in September's parliamentary elections, citing alleged violations of election campaigning rules. The decision came days after the Central Election Commission had unanimously approved the party's registration, and recent polls suggested Yabloko could have won seats.
NHL star Alex Ovechkin faced backlash after appearing in a political campaign advertisement for Russia's ruling United Russia party, backed by Vladimir Putin. Ovechkin defended his decision by saying he supports his country and plans to live in Russia after his hockey career ends, while insisting he is "full of peace and love" and not pro-war.
Russia's Supreme Court banned the liberal Yabloko party from participating in September's State Duma elections, just five days after the anti-war opposition party was approved for the ballot. The ruling came amid death threats against Yabloko candidates and a broader court decision stripping voters opposed to the war of their voting rights.
Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has declared the New York-based Human Rights Foundation, chaired by Yulia Navalnaya, widow of late dissident Alexei Navalny, as an 'undesirable organization,' marking an escalation in the country's crackdown on international rights groups.
President Vladimir Putin announced a major military reshuffle on Wednesday, establishing a new Unmanned Systems Forces branch under Denis Lyamin and replacing key operational commanders in Ukraine as Russia's territorial gains have slowed.
A homemade bomb exploded at a restaurant in central Moscow during a private event, killing three people including the woman suspected of carrying the device, and injuring 21 others. Russian authorities are investigating it as a terrorist attack.
Russia has extended its restrictions on diesel and gasoline exports until January 31, 2027, prioritizing domestic fuel supply despite announcing just days earlier that the diesel ban would be lifted once the domestic market recovered. The extension includes some exceptions for direct producers starting September 1.
Russia's FSB security agency charged Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram, with aiding terrorism and issued an international arrest warrant. The charges reportedly stem from allegations that Ukrainian intelligence uses the platform to recruit Russians for sabotage operations.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev publicly called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine during talks in Omsk, proposing a freeze in hostilities and resumption of negotiations under an 'Istanbul 2.0' framework. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry welcomed the call while emphasizing Moscow needs greater pressure to agree to peace.
The Russian frigate Neustrashimy fired its main cannon in a short-notice exercise 45 miles south of Plymouth on Monday, coinciding with Andy Burnham becoming UK Prime Minister. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the exercise as 'performative and irresponsible,' while former military officials suggested the timing was deliberate.
President Trump announced support for a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill previously championed by Senator Lindsey Graham, intensifying pressure on the Kremlin. The move comes as Senate Republicans seek to advance Graham's legislative priorities following his death.
Russian authorities in Siberian regions including Novosibirsk and Tomsk are asking residents to work from home and limit vehicle use amid a worsening nationwide fuel crisis. Citizens are converting cars to LPG as gasoline shortages, price increases, and long queues at filling stations spread across the country.
Russia is experiencing widespread fuel shortages leading to extensive queues at petrol stations, rising prices, and growing public frustration. The crisis, linked to Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries and the ongoing war's economic toll, has forced Putin to publicly acknowledge the problem in a rare admission of domestic difficulty.
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine causes over 2 million military casualties according to a U.S. thinktank study, signs of internal pressure emerge with a top Russian banker publicly calling for an end to the war and continued assassinations of military figures exposing rifts in Putin's security apparatus. Meanwhile, Putin has ordered new offensive operations to capture Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing increased scrutiny as Ukraine launches deeper drone attacks into Russian territory, with prediction markets showing rising odds of his departure from power and reports suggesting he has retreated from public view amid mounting challenges including the strategic liability of Crimea.
Russian officials expressed readiness for peace negotiations with Ukraine while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioned whether President Trump has shifted his stance on the war following suggestions by French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit. The Kremlin indicated it expects to resume contacts with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner over Ukraine.
Russia continues incremental territorial gains in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, though experts dispute the significance of its progress. Meanwhile, President Trump offered a more positive assessment of Ukraine's performance, and analysts point to mounting costs for Russia's war effort and internal pressures on Putin's system.
Robert Kuzovkov (also known as Semyon Skrepetsky), a 44-year-old exiled Russian artist who openly criticized Vladimir Putin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, was shot and killed in Biała Podlaska, Poland. Two Belarusian men have been detained in connection with the killing.
A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber aircraft crashed on Monday in Siberia's Irkutsk region during a training exercise, according to Russia's Defence Ministry. All four crew members successfully ejected from the Soviet-era supersonic bomber.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky each spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday as he turned 80. The conversations focused on ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Trump reportedly telling Putin he was prepared to help resolve the conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that escalating Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries, fuel depots, and infrastructure are impacting Russia's economy and society, while new polling shows Russian citizens increasingly critical of his economic policies amid ongoing sanctions and military pressures.
Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated the central bank may cut interest rates at next week's meeting, while praising absent central bank chief Elvira Nabiullina. The announcement comes as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine reaches 1,569 days, now exceeding the length of World War I.
A car bomb in the Moscow region killed Damir Davydov, head of Russia's missile and artillery wing, in what reports describe as an assassination. Russian authorities announced arrests of suspects in a separate car bombing incident, detaining teenagers allegedly recruited to plant explosives.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that he met with Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in Kyiv, where he asked the former Chelsea FC owner to convey messages to the Kremlin regarding prospects for direct peace negotiations with Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine conducted extensive drone strikes targeting military facilities near St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, including a naval base in Kronstadt. The attack, involving hundreds of drones reaching up to 1,000 kilometers into Russian territory, coincided with the final day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Armenians voted in parliamentary elections on June 7, 2026, with exit polls showing the pro-EU ruling party in the lead as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government seeks to loosen ties with Moscow and deepen cooperation with the West despite mounting Russian pressure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's open letter request for direct talks on the four-year conflict, saying he sees no point in such a meeting. Ukrainian officials indicated the letter was aimed at a broader audience including Putin's inner circle and the Russian public.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for face-to-face peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare public letter on Thursday, proposing a full ceasefire and negotiations in a neutral country. The Kremlin responded by saying Zelenskyy could meet Putin in Moscow "any time."
Senior Russian government officials have warned President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine war spending is unsustainable, marking the most serious internal division since the 2022 invasion, as Moscow hosts its fifth wartime economic conference while struggling to develop a growth strategy amid ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks.
Russia's parliament has passed legislation that would allow President Putin to authorize military operations in foreign countries, raising concerns among NATO allies about potential testing of the alliance's commitment to collective defense.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over a significantly reduced Victory Day military parade in Moscow's Red Square on May 9, 2026, coinciding with a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The downsized event reflects security concerns and marks a notable departure from previous years' celebrations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that he believes the Ukraine conflict is nearing its conclusion, speaking to reporters hours after presiding over Moscow's most scaled-back Victory Day parade in years. Putin also indicated willingness to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country.
European Union officials are preparing for possible negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while the Kremlin responded that Putin is ready to talk with Europeans but will not initiate contact first.
Russia's State Duma passed the first reading of a comprehensive crypto regulation bill that formally legalizes digital assets for cross-border international settlements while restricting domestic payments.
Russia's State Duma passed a sweeping crypto regulation bill in first reading that would license exchanges, permit cryptocurrency use in foreign trade settlements to circumvent sanctions, while banning domestic payments and imposing retail investment caps. The legislation is set to take effect in phases through July 2027.
China and Russia rallied behind Cuba's government amid mounting US pressure, as Moscow's deputy foreign minister concluded a Havana visit and Beijing signaled support, while Cuban President Díaz-Canel vowed to resist US demands for his resignation.
Russia's FSB intelligence agency ordered the expulsion of a British diplomat, accusing the second secretary at the British Embassy in Moscow of espionage. The UK Foreign Office rejected the allegations as part of an 'aggressive and co-ordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats.'
