Sep 28, 2026
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.
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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree placing the Russian subsidiaries of Swiss food giant Nestlé and French retailers Auchan and Leroy Merlin under temporary state administration, the latest move against Western companies operating in Russia.
Units of Russia's 101st Missile Brigade equipped with Oreshnik intermediate-range missile systems have been stationed in Belarus, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. Despite the deployment, Ukrainian officials assess the immediate threat level remains low.
Russia and North Korea inaugurated their first road bridge spanning the Tumen River in a ceremony highlighting deepening ties between the two countries. Both sides described the structure as an important milestone in bilateral relations.
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.
Russia fired over 381 missiles at Ukraine in July 2026, setting a wartime record at more than 12 per day, while launching ballistic missiles faster than it can produce them. Ukraine faces critical air defense shortages as Russia draws down stockpiles to sustain the unprecedented bombardment rate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is preparing to mobilize an additional 30,000 North Korean troops and expand domestic conscription as battlefield losses outpace recruitment. Intelligence reports suggest Russia is laying groundwork for a major mobilization wave.
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.
Russia conducted a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine's capital with missiles and drones, causing explosions, fires, and injuries to at least 11 people. The assault came hours after President Zelensky warned of intelligence indicating a massive strike, and follows reports that Putin ordered his military to develop new offensive operations to capture Kyiv.
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.
Months of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries have created a severe fuel shortage, forcing the Kremlin to take the rare step of importing gasoline while long lines form at gas stations across the country. The crisis has compelled Russia to tap into fuel reserves as refinery capacity remains crippled.
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.
Russia is experiencing fuel shortages and rising gasoline prices as Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries disrupt domestic supply, forcing the country to consider importing gasoline by sea and leading to fuel rationing at filling stations during peak summer vacation season.
Ukrainian drones attacked an oil terminal and warship in St. Petersburg early Wednesday morning, hours before Russia's flagship international economic forum began in the city. The strikes on Putin's hometown appeared timed to embarrass the Kremlin during the high-profile event designed to attract foreign investment.
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 Defense Ministry announced, that the May 9 Victory Day parade will proceed without tanks, missiles, or any military equipment due to "the current operational situation"; the first time since 2008 that military hardware will be absent from Red Square. Analysts say the omission signals battlefield equipment strain and weakens the propaganda value of Putin's most important national showcase.