State Duma
The State Duma is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, its legislative chamber alongside the Federation Council. It comprises 450 deputies elected by proportional representation for five-year terms. It is presided over by the Chairman of the State Duma and is seated in Moscow. The chamber reviews and passes federal laws, which are then submitted to the Federation Council.
-
Trump announces "energy ceasefire" with Russia; Kremlin declines to confirm, Ukraine says it wasn't told
On 11 October, US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine was taking effect immediately, claiming both sides had agreed. The White House later told Axios that the proposal referred specifically to mutual cessation of strikes on oil refineries, described as "refinery for refinery." The Kremlin declined to confirm any deal, and within hours Russian forces struck energy infrastructure in Ukraine, including the TEC-5 thermal power plant in Kharkiv. Speaking by video link at the Warsaw Security Forum on 12 October, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the announcement was news to him, that Ukraine has only one oil refinery while Russia has an extensive network, and that if Russia does not agree to an energy ceasefire this winter, Ukraine will respond.
-
Trump announces Russian diesel deal with Putin, urges Ukraine to choose a new president
On October 9, 2026, US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announced an agreement to allow between 300,000 and 3 million tons of Russian diesel fuel onto US and global markets. Trump then publicly attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of being able to end the war but choosing not to, and saying it was time for Ukraine to choose a new president. Zelenskyy called the decision weak and a gift to Russia that would fund the war, while bipartisan US lawmakers and European leaders condemned the agreement.
-
EU ambassadors agree on largest Russia sanctions package to date, targeting 1,500 individuals and companies
EU member-state ambassadors agreed on October 7 to add 743 individuals and 826 companies linked to Russia's military-industrial complex to the EU sanctions list, along with 77 people 'elected' to the Russian State Duma from occupied Ukrainian territories. The package also extends the chemical-weapons sanctions regime covering 31 individuals and six organizations. Formal approval is scheduled at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on October 12 in Luxembourg.
-
Putin tells Valdai forum Ukraine must stay neutral, hints at nuclear use, rejects mutual strike halt
Vladimir Putin used a plenary address at the 23rd Valdai Discussion Club on October 1 to demand that Ukraine remain a neutral state, suggest nuclear weapons will eventually be used, and reject a mutual halt to strikes on ships and Russian oil refineries. He also restated that full control of Donbas and Ukraine's neutral status are conditions for any peace settlement, framed Trump's peace proposals as a "movement in the right direction" despite "difficult" decisions for Russia, and called for UN reform giving greater weight to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
-
Ukrainian drone strike halts Moscow oil refinery on day of State Duma vote
On the night of 20 September, Ukrainian forces struck the Gazpromneft-Moscow refinery in the Kapotnya district of Moscow with a combined drone and missile attack, setting both primary crude distillation units ablaze and forcing a full halt of oil processing. Ukraine's General Staff says cumulative strikes have now knocked out more than 45% of Russia's designed oil refining capacity. The attack fell on the day of Russia's State Duma election, with Moscow authorities not activating air raid sirens or SMS warnings, an omission analysts at the Institute for the Study of War linked to a priority on voter turnout over civilian safety.
-
EU's Kallas to propose sanctions over Russian Duma vote on occupied Ukrainian territories
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced she will propose sanctions against individuals who facilitated holding Russian State Duma elections on Ukraine's occupied territories. She made the announcement in a post on X, describing the vote as a "simulation of democracy" and another serious blow to Russian democracy.
-
Ukraine strikes Moscow oil refinery and logistics complex in largest drone attack on Russian capital
In the night of 19–20 September 2026, Ukraine launched a massive drone and missile attack on Moscow and Moscow Oblast, hitting the Gazpromneft Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya and a warehouse complex in Sofyino. Fires broke out at both sites. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called it the largest drone attack ever on the Russian capital. At least two people were killed and six injured across Moscow Oblast, and more than 400 flights were cancelled or delayed at Moscow airports. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the operation involved the SBU, Unmanned Systems Forces, SSO, HUR and Foreign Intelligence Service.
-
Estonian intelligence: Russian weekly losses exceed 10,000 for third week running
Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Centre, told a briefing at the Estonian Ministry of Defense that Russian armed forces losses in the war against Ukraine have exceeded 10,000 servicemembers per week for the third consecutive week, outpacing recruitment. He also outlined ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive operations in Donetsk Oblast and a series of long-range Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil, chemical, drone and military facilities deep inside Russia.
-
Budanov: new round of Ukraine–US–Russia peace talks being prepared for October
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said on September 12 that a new round of trilateral Ukraine–US–Russia peace talks is being prepared for October. He confirmed the trilateral format but did not disclose a possible venue, and said Ukraine is preparing for an October meeting. The statement came on the sidelines of the YES conference in Kyiv.
-
Medvedev confirms United Russia's commitment to protracted war in Ukraine
Dmitry Medvedev, head of United Russia and deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said in an interview with Vedomosti published on 10 September that Russia must continue the war in Ukraine, pursue long-term militarization of society, and demand increasing economic sacrifices from Russian citizens. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) read the remarks as an official confirmation by United Russia of a protracted-war course ahead of September State Duma elections.
-
US envoys visit Kyiv for first time, signal return to trilateral talks but report no breakthrough
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Kyiv on 6 September 2026 for their first visit to Ukraine since Donald Trump's second presidential term began, after meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 5 September. They held three rounds of talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, joined in the second round by national security advisers from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, and announced a planned return to the US–Ukraine–Russia trilateral format and US support for a 'winter package' of assistance for Ukraine. Zelensky reported receiving a message that 'the Russians are ready to negotiate' but remained sceptical, while the Kremlin, Bloomberg sources and the Institute for the Study of War said the Moscow talks produced no substantive concessions.
-
Putin says Russia and Ukraine must negotiate peace bilaterally, calls Zelenskyy's airspace warning 'state terrorism'
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 3, Vladimir Putin said Russia and Ukraine must negotiate an end to the war directly between themselves, with other countries only supporting, and claimed there is a chance for a peaceful settlement. He described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warnings that Russian airspace is unsafe for civil aviation as state terrorism that complicates peace talks, and accused Ukraine's Western partners of silence. His comments come a day after Ukraine formally notified the ICAO that Russian airspace is dangerous for civil aviation.