Press review: State Duma set to keep five parties while Europe faces record fuel prices

Press review: State Duma set to keep five parties while Europe faces record fuel prices Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, September 21st© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASSMOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. The single voting day to elect lawmakers to the 9th Russian State Duma has ended, with the lower chamber of the Russian parliament set to include the same five parties and United Russia retaining the majority of seats; Europe is grappling with record-high diesel and gasoline prices, seeking a way out; and the US and Denmark seem to have found a way out of the crisis over Greenland. These stories topped Monday’s newspaper headlines across Russia. Media: Russian State Duma to include same five parties following election, with United Russia retaining its leadership The Single Voting Day 2026 has ended in Russia. The results of the elections held September 18-20 will determine the 450 members of parliament, as well as new governors and regional lawmakers. Preliminary results indicate that United Russia maintains a solid lead in the party-list vote. It is followed by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), the Liberal Democratic Party of the Russian Federation (LDPR), New People, and the A Just Russia - For Truth, according to the Russian Central Election Commission’s report as of the end of September 20. Meanwhile, unprecedented cyberattacks from abroad and drone raids sought to actively disrupt the voting. At the time all polling stations in Russia closed, voter turnout for the federal parliamentary elections stood at 56.66%, the CEC reported. This figure has already surpassed the turnout rates from the 2021, 2016, 2003, and 1993 elections. Meanwhile, the final turnout on the electronic voting platform exceeded 90%. The final election results will not be announced until September 25 at the earliest. In addition to the parliamentary elections, Russians elected regional lawmakers and municipal authority representatives in 39 regions, as well as regional heads in eight regions through direct voting. The political system successfully passed a stress test by ensuring that the elections were held under wartime conditions, including drone attacks, new sanctions, and problems in the fuel market, Konstantin Kostin, head of the Civil Society Development Foundation and former head of the presidential administration’s Domestic Policy Department, told Vedomosti. "This fact, along with United Russia’s lead, is an important argument in support of Russia’s position in international relations and at the negotiating table," he emphasized. Most Russians support the current course, while a minority believes their vote can make a difference. "Two factors - the desire for stability and the demand for change - overlap, resulting in a very high voter turnout," Kalachev noted. Boycotting the election as a form of protest does not seem to have been very popular, he said. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, participated in parliamentary elections for the first time in history as Russia’s full-fledged subjects. According to Central Election Commission (CEC) Deputy Chairman Nikolay Bulayev, these regions are already fully integrated into the country’s overall electoral system. The same technologies are used there as throughout the country. However, as AI and the digital ecosystem of elections become more complex, cybersecurity issues are also the rise, Dmitry Orlov, CEO of the Agency for Political and Economic Communications, told Izvestia. Nevertheless, the political system’s ability to respond to these challenges remains paramount, a task that the 2026 campaign successfully met, the expert pointed out. Vedomosti: How record-high diesel and gasoline prices affecting Europe French President Emmanuel Macron called French fuel prices "unbearable" on this X page. On September 18, he met with representatives of major political parties to discuss the situation in the fuel market. As of September 17, gasoline averaged 2.6 euros per liter in the EU and 2.12 euros per liter in the eurozone. EU governments have three main tools at their disposal: a temporary reduction in the tax component of prices, targeted assistance to vulnerable households and transportation companies, and measures to ensure greater supplies to the European market, Vladislav Belov, deputy director of the Institute of Europe, told Vedomosti. Abnormally high prices for diesel and gasoline are becoming an additional factor holding back economic growth in the EU, the expert noted. According to him, high diesel fuel prices increase costs in freight transportation, agriculture, construction, and parts of the manufacturing sector, and are then passed on to consumer prices through supply chains. Therefore, if current price levels persist in the medium term, one can expect additional inflationary pressure, a decline in real incomes and consumer demand, as well as a deterioration in the competitiveness of European manufacturers, Belov emphasized. European countries lead the world in motor fuel prices primarily due to taxes, Alexander Frolov, deputy director of the MGIMO International Energy Policy and Security Institute, pointed out. The situation in the Middle East has worsened the disruption of Russian fuel supplies to the global market caused by attacks on Ukraine, which has driven up prices and exacerbated the chronic energy crisis that Europe has been facing since the late 2010s, the expert stressed. With the severing of business ties with Russia and the strategy to phase out its hydrocarbons by the end of 2027, the safety net has vanished, and the search for replacements in alternative markets only drives up prices, Frolov said. "Europe is affected by any upheaval on the periphery, which could previously be offset by Russian supplies combined with conservation measures," he stressed. The causes of the fuel price crisis are the same across all regions of the world, but for the US, a key factor is the exceptionally high profitability of oil and petroleum product exports, which diverts fuel from the domestic market, Alexey Belogoriyev, research director at the Institute for Energy and Finance Foundation, emphasized. Europe, on the other hand, is a net importer: these are fundamentally different starting points, he said. The expert also stressed that EU countries are indeed experiencing the consequences of decades of "dieselization" of passenger vehicles and the severing of energy ties with Russia. Public perception of the crisis is similar in the US and Europe, but the economic consequences for European consumers are more severe, Belogoriyev noted. Kommersant: What US should expect from new Greenland deal The US and Denmark appear to have reached an agreement to resolve the crisis around Greenland. President Donald Trump announced that the parties will soon conclude a deal under which the Americans will, on the one hand, be able to significantly and indefinitely expand their military presence on the island and, on the other hand, prevent any attempts by their opponents to gain a foothold in this strategically important region. And although the US already had extensive rights and capabilities in Greenland, Trump considers this a diplomatic breakthrough. The conflict between Washington and Copenhagen over the status of Greenland, which is officially part of Denmark with autonomous status, has lasted more than a year and a half and is approaching a resolution. Washington will apparently no longer attempt to buy the island, threaten to seize it by force, or persuade its residents to revolt against the central government. The US president did not disclose the text of the draft agreement but revealed its three key components. First, he said, it will be open-ended. Second, it will allow the US to significantly expand its military presence on the island, something the Americans, according to him, intend to do "immediately." And third, no US opponents will be able to establish military bases or make significant investments on the island without written approval from the Americans. Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether this truly constitutes a diplomatic breakthrough, as Trump is eager to portray it, until the text of the new agreement is made public. Both American and European media outlets have pointed out that the US already held extensive rights and capabilities on the island under the 1951 US-Danish agreement on the defense of Greenland. They argue that the White House has achieved nothing new and that the deal merely allows the US administration to "save face." According to international security expert Konstantin Bogdanov, American interest in Greenland is longstanding and predominantly military in nature. "Greenland’s primary significance lies in its convenient location as a forward early-warning outpost. There is a radar station there that is part of the US missile and nuclear strike warning system, oriented toward the north and northwest - that is, toward the potential trajectories of ballistic missiles launched from Russian territory, as well as cruise missiles launched over the Arctic," he told Kommersant. Over the past 10 to 15 years, he noted, the US has reacted nervously to China’s attempts to initiate investment and infrastructure projects in Greenland. "In its current form, the agreement preserves and strengthens US priority in Greenland, eases concerns about the emergence of Chinese influence there (including the possibility of deploying technical intelligence assets), and, most importantly, resolves the diplomatic crisis in relations with Copenhagen that arose due to President Trump’s clumsy remarks," the expert concluded. Media: Results of German local elections become 'disastrous' for Chancellor Friedrich Merz The latest state elections in Germany have dealt a blow to the ruling party and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The chancellor himself described the results in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a "catastrophe." In Berlin, meanwhile, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is losing its grip on the city government. Strong gains by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) are making it increasingly difficult for mainstream parties to form coalitions, leaving their governments increasingly unstable. As Germany slides deeper into deindustrialization, the protest vote is gaining momentum. According to Fyodor Basov, a senior researcher at the World Economy and International Relations Institute under the Russian Academy of Sciences, the popularity of the Alternative for Germany in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is growing for economic reasons, such as a decline in the population’s purchasing power and a lack of economic growth. Unemployment in this already economically weak region has reached 8%, which is higher than the national average. The far-right’s ratings are also boosted by ongoing debates over the possibility of resuming operations of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as the region is located on the Baltic Sea coast, through which the gas pipeline runs. Following the 2022 sabotage, electricity and energy prices skyrocketed by 30-40%, placing the greatest burden on ordinary citizens, the expert told Izvestia. If the CDU fails to win seats in the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, it will be not just a slap in the face, but a serious blow to the reputation of Merz and the party, Alexander Kamkin, an associate professor at the Russian Financial University, told Vedomosti. Given the current state of German politics, Merz has few allies, Artyom Sokolov, a senior research fellow at the MGIMO International Studies Institute, agreed. Despite all his stubbornness, the chancellor risks going down in history as a failed head of government who did not complete his full term. Merz’s government is currently paralyzed, and the CDU could lose its seats in the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and be defeated by the Left Party in Berlin. All of this means significant setbacks for the ruling party, the expert noted. Immediately after the elections, Merz will put his leadership to a vote of confidence at an emergency meeting of CDU executives and state party leaders. The elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin are a test of the effectiveness of Merz’s government, for which success at the regional level is of the utmost importance, Maria Khorolskaya, a researcher at the World Economy and International Relations Institute under the Russian Academy of Sciences, pointed out. The main loser in these elections will be the CDU; the party has seen its support decline in both Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin. As for Merz himself, the expert stressed that the chancellor may weather the storm and preserve the federal coalition. The head of government intends to hold on to his post, and finding a replacement who satisfies everyone will not happen quickly. The second most likely scenario is a change in the chancellorship while keeping the current government intact, Khorolskaya concluded. Izvestia: NATO practicing blockade of Baltic Sea's access to Atlantic NATO has deployed a major naval task force in the North Sea and the Atlantic, including a UK aircraft carrier strike group. As part of the Strike Warrior 26-2 exercises, the alliance’s member states intend to systematically test, for the first time, the joint use of all three types of drone systems: surface, underwater, and aerial UAVs. London cites the protection of deep-sea internet cables and seabed infrastructure as the official reason for the maneuvers. However, experts say that the stated goal of defending communications is a cover for more aggressive scenarios: the task force is training to intercept Russian Northern Fleet submarines at the boundary between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, as well as block exits from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic. The North Sea is of vital importance to Russian shipping: it is traversed by ships and vessels traveling from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic. Therefore, extensive NATO maneuvers in the region affect the interests of both Russia’s civilian and military fleets, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. According to him, due to the alliance’s increased activity in the Northeast Atlantic, Russian ships regularly set sail to monitor the situation and escort vessels. The Russian Navy will closely track the actions of NATO forces, the expert added. Since its inception, NATO’s primary task has been preparing for confrontation, first with the Soviet Union and now with Russia. All of the alliance’s tactics, scenarios, and maneuver plans have historically been based on an assessment of our forces, weapons, and resources, Vice Admiral Alexander Brazhnik, former chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Baltic Fleet, stressed. "The main goal of these exercises, shrouded in a veil of formal secrecy, is to practice specific methods of conducting combat operations at sea, such as anti-submarine warfare, coordinating with aviation, and repelling attacks. At the same time, these maneuvers are traditionally accompanied by attempts to seal off the area in order to conceal Russia’s true capabilities and tactical maneuvers from outsiders," he explained. According to the vice admiral, although the North Sea does not directly border Russia, it is an area of international waters where freedom of navigation applies to all. Such combat training exercises have always been monitored. The Russian Navy, air force, and satellite constellation will undoubtedly track the actions of a potential adversary and study NATO’s tactics and forces deployed. In this regard, the West’s strategy has remained unchanged for decades, Brazhnik emphasized. TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews Press review: US sanctions bill may hamper Ukraine talks as Russian parliament vote opensTop stories from the Russian press on Friday, September 18thRead moreMoscow to host financial forum on MondayRussian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, government officials, business leaders, public activists, and experts in economics and finance will participate in the eventRead moreIran will keep Strait of Hormuz closed until US accepts its terms — parliamentary speakerEarlier, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei said that Iranian authorities have conveyed their conditions for ending the war to the US through Qatari mediatorsRead morePutin says Russia ready to respond to seizure of ships, calls on West 'to be friends'Vladimir Putin said that Russia had taken note of the European drills in the Baltic Sea, including the practice of seizing civilian vesselsRead moreUS embassies in Middle East issue security alert for US citizensThe statement linked the alert with hostilities involving Iranian-supported Houthis and warned that the "military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly"Read moreVucic plans to meet with Lavrov at UN General Assembly sessionThe high-level general debate, attended by heads of state and government and foreign ministers, will take place at the UN headquarters in New York on September 22-26 and September 28Read moreRussia says not to start dialogue with those asserting Russophobia, neo-Nazism — ZakharovaRussian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman said that everyone who "comes to Russia with love, and perhaps even for love," is always welcomed with open armsRead moreRussian diplomat sees EU sponsoring Ukraine’s strategy toward humanitarian crisisRodion Miroshnik specified that in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, part of the DPR and the LPR, and certain areas in the Belgorod Region a deliberate provocation of a humanitarian crisis can be seen Read moreRussian forces hit cargo ship, logistics center near OdessaThe targets hit in the Odessa Region were a cargo ship in the port of Odessa that had delivered military supplies and the Novaya Pochta logistics center, located 1.5 km north of OdessaRead moreKiev’s strike on Russian regions becomes largest since start of special military operationAs the Russian Defense Ministry previously emphasized, "the attempt at a massive attack on Moscow failed, the enemy failed to reach its targets"Read moreOver 90% of foreign festival participants want to return to Russia — youth agency chiefAt the same time, the share of those who viewed the country "very positively" increased from 42% to 67%Read moreTop Turkish diplomat reports discussing Ukraine with Russian deputy premierHakan Fidan added that reaching an agreement "appears to be a very difficult task," but efforts must continueRead moreRussian air defenses down 1,110 Ukrainian drones overnightOn-duty air defense systems intercepted and destroyed fixed-wing drones over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, Tambov, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Smolensk, Oryol, Rostov, Volgograd and Saratov regions, the Samara Region, the Krasnodar Region, the Moscow Region and the Republic of Crimea, as well as over the Black SeaRead moreZelensky will have to hide for rest of life, Medvedev predicts"The stinking Kiev bastard is trying to derail the settlement of the conflict", Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman saidRead moreZelensky will try to close Ukraine's budget deficit via mobilization — Russian diplomatRussian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed to Zelensky's statement regarding the massive budget shortfall and his pledge to fix itRead moreRussian air defenses intercept 936 Ukrainian UAVs, seven smart bombs over past dayOverall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 674 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 284 helicopters, 240,045 unmanned aerial vehicles, 672 surface-to-air missile systems, 30,957 tanks and other armored combat vehiclesRead moreTASS Director General opens OANA Executive Committee meeting in MoscowAndrey Kondrashov recalled that a media forum dedicated to the organization’s 65th anniversary will open on MondayRead moreKiev loses 9,300 troops, mercenaries in combat over past week — expertAndrey Marochko said the heaviest manpower losses were inflicted on Ukrainian armed formations in the area of responsibility of the Battlegroup CenterRead moreChinese imports of Russian LNG up 28.2%, of oil - up 18.1% in January-AugustIn value terms, supplies grew 13.2% and 33.3%, respectivelyRead moreKazakh president congratulates Putin on successful State Duma electionsKassym-Jomart Tokaev noted that the voting results convincingly testify to broad support for Vladimir Putin’s strategic course aimed at protecting the long-term interests of the Russian stateRead moreRussian parliamentary elections enter their final dayFirst results will be known after 6:00 p.m. GMT, when the polling stations close in Russia’s Baltic exclave of KaliningradRead moreFACTBOX: Russian strikes hit logistics center, port infrastructure facilitiesRussian forces carried out overnight drone strikes on Ukrainian logistics centers, warehouses, and ports, as well as vessels used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry reportedRead moreCurrent State Duma election turnout outstrips 1993, 2016, 2021 levelsCentral Election Commission data as of 06:04 p.m. Moscow time puts the current turnout at 54.96%Read moreTrump announces creating AI Force in similar vein to Space ForceThe US president did not specify whether he meant creating a new branch of the Armed ForcesRead moreIN BRIEF: Preliminary results of Russian elections, United Russia leads, governors electedAccording to the data from the Central Election Commission, 90.45% of ballots have been counted so farRead moreIran to strike new US targets in Middle East with new weapons in case of aggression — IRGCHossein Mohebi emphasized that the changes would affect the geography of war, weapons and military equipment usedRead moreRussia, US plan to hold meetings on irritants in bilateral ties soon — ambassadorAlexander Darchiev specified that the agenda will include visa issues and the return of six Russian properties de facto seized in the USRead moreEU continues to ignore Ukraine’s attacks on nuclear power plants — Finnish politicianArmando Mema added that the EU remains one of the main suppliers of weapons for KievRead morePutin congratulates South Ossetian president Kambolov on Republic DayThe Russian president noted that Russia will continue to assist the authorities and people of South Ossetia in addressing important challengesRead moreRussian diplomat sure history will `cancel’ ZelenskyMaria Zakharova commented on Vladimir Zelensky's threats to make the Russian airspace dangerous for passenger flights through the massive use of dronesRead moreDutch businesses cutting ties with ICC for fear of US sanctions — diplomatAccording to a diplomatic source, mostly IT companies are behind the moveRead moreTrump orders triumphal arch converted into military complexUS President stressed that he made the decision "at the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes"Read moreTrump makes attempts to resolve conflict in Ukraine — US envoy to UNMike Waltz added that during his upcoming address from the UN General Assembly rostrum, the US president plans to speak about sovereignty, as well as "about the peace deals," both those already attained and in works Read moreRussians vote for their children's future — Russian MFA spokeswomanThey do so both responsibly and freely, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova toldRead moreOANA media forum to discuss steps toward sustainable media community of Asia-PacificKremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova and Andrey Kondrashov, TASS Director General and OANA President, are expected to take part in the forumRead moreUnited Russia ahead in Duma election with 71.17% of ballots processedThe party received 57.53% of the voteRead moreRussian air defenses repel largest-ever Ukrainian drone attack, mayor saysMayor Sergey Sobyanin added that 450 drones had been shot down on the approach to MoscowRead moreChina criticizes new US law that tightens sanctions against Russia and IranBeijing consistently opposes unilateral sanctions that lack authorization from the UNRead moreGeorgia-Russia trade rises by 19.1% in January-AugustRussia ranked third among Georgia’s largest trading partners, accounting for 11.3% of the country’s foreign trade in the first eight months of the yearRead moreElection commissions in regions where drones fly defy “terrorist scum” — Foreign MinistryThe Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that she is shocked by the courage of the election commission staffRead moreRussian regional authorities, military ready for Kiev’s provocative acts — diplomatRodion Miroshnik added that regional authorities have a vast experience of organizing the voting process under such circumstancesRead moreWhat we know about foiled terrorist attack on voting day in DonetskA Donetsk citizen established contact with SBU officers and voluntarily agreed to assist them in their terrorist activities, the FSB Public Relations Center saidRead moreUnited Russia wins 49.4% in State Duma elections — exit pollThe Communist Party is garnering 14.2%, the LDPR 10.7%, New People 9.7%, and A Just Russia 6.6%, according to VCIOMRead moreRussian forces drawing a noose around Ukrainian troops in Kharkov areaEncircled enemy personnel have been struck in the areas of Komissarovo, Krasny Yar, Grachevka, Khripuny, and Buzovo, head of the Battlegroup North press center Vasily Mezhevykh saidRead moreAfD clinches victory in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state vote, exit poll showsThe AfD is leading the vote with approximately 37%, followed by the SPD at around 35.5%, and The Left Party at about 7.5%Read moreRussians choose future for their children by voting today — human rights commissionerYana Lantratova also said that elections in Russia are being held democratically and openly, a view shared by international observers and election expertsRead moreShip transit through Strait of Hormuz falls threefold over weekend — ReutersAccording to the report, only 12 vessels passed through the strait over the past weekendRead moreNumber of drones destroyed while approaching Moscow reaches 338First responders are working in areas where fragments fell, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reportedRead moreRussian parliamentary election turnout rises to 44.75% — election authorityThe information was posted on the Russian Central Election Commission’s website and reflects data as of 3:00 a.m. GMTRead moreUnited Russia party leading preliminary vote count with 50% of ballots processedThe Communist Party garnered 13.79% of the vote, the LDPR 8.80%, New People 7.86%, and A Just Russia 5.11%, according to the Russian Central Election CommissionRead moreRussian parliamentary election turnout exceeds 2021 levelAs of 3:14 p.m. Moscow time (12:14 p.m. GMT), voter turnout in the current election stood at 52.62%, according to data from Russia’s Central Election CommissionRead moreMore than 600 Russians cast ballots in Duma elections in New York and HoustonThe two polling stations closed at 8:00 p.m. local timeRead moreEurope injects 45 bln cubic meters of gas into storage for winter, rushes to build stocksEurope has so far managed to inject into underground storage facilities only 67% of the volumes needed for the upcoming winterRead moreTime running out for Ukrainian troops in Kursk area to lay down arms — KremlinPutin thus responded to the call of US President Donald Trump, who offered to "spare" the Ukrainian troops in Kursk RegionRead moreRussia’s Battlegroup West destroys HIMARS rocket, 117 Ukrainian UAVs in past dayThe battlegroup’s spokesman added that 56 UAV control centers as well as three satellite communication stations were destroyedRead moreThe President's course, West’s failure to discredit Russian vote: Lavrov's statementsThe Foreign Minister said that officials had exposed all Western attempts to portray the parliamentary elections as undemocraticRead moreTwo civilians killed, 4 others injured as Ukrainian army attacks DPR 31 times in past dayTwo residential houses were damaged in the attacksRead moreUkraine may lose up to 6.8% of GDP in 2027 amid continued hostilitiesUkrainian Finance Ministry officials warn of an exacerbating energy crisis, export issues and labor shortages due to people fleeing the country and ongoing mobilizationRead moreTurnout on federal remote electronic voting platform reaches 90%More than 4 million people in total submitted applications to vote via the federal digital platformRead moreChina congratulates Russia on successful State Duma elections — Foreign Ministry"The State Duma elections are an important event in Russia’s political life, and the outcome reflects the will of the Russian people," Guo Jiakun saidRead moreRussian forces hit Radionix plant, B-Mobile data center in KievRussian forces carried out group strikes overnight using air-launched precision weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehiclesRead moreMayor reports damage at Moscow oil refineryNo casualties were reported, Sergey Sobyanin saidRead moreRussian forces strike logistics centers, ports in UkraineA bulk carrier carrying cargo intended to support the Ukrainian armed forces to the port of Odessa was hit while crossing the seaRead moreRussian stock market declines at start of tradingAccording to trading data as of 9:00 a.m. Moscow time, the MOEX and RTS indices fell by 0.13% to 2,275.15 and 851.21 points, respectivelyRead moreDmitriev says Europe in largest energy crisis in historySpecial Representative of Russian President for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, Chief Executive Officer of Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) also gave a comment on reports of fuel supply disruptions in FranceRead moreSibur expands polymer supplies to Africa, Southeast AsiaAccording to CEO Mikhail Karisalov, Sibur plans to export part of the output from its new polypropylene production facility with a capacity of 570,000 metric tons at ZapSibNeftekhim in Tobolsk, which is due to be launched in 2027Read moreRussian nuclear triad guarantees sovereignty, international balance of power — PutinRussian leader named its strengthening as one of the unconditional prioritiesRead moreGermany artificially inflates crisis by accusing Russia of UAV accident — GFCN expertsThey pointed out that the incident itself took place in early August, but official statements on this issue emerged on behalf of the German side only on September 1Read morePolling stations close in Russia’s easternmost regions, Kamchatka, ChukotkaElection commissions have begun counting the votesRead moreKiev, EU nations indoctrinate youth with neo-Nazism, Russian MFA spokeswoman saysMaria Zakharova added that the situation raises concerns over whether the next generation possesses enough resilience and immunity to combat these narrativesRead moreBattlegroup North disrupts supplies to surrounded Ukrainian troops in Kharkov areaMore than 200 Ukrainian Baba-Yaga hexacopters have been destroyed since the beginning of September, the head of the Planning and Counter-UAV Operations Department of the 11th Army Corps, with the call sign Karta, saidRead moreRussia’s latest MiG-35 multirole fighter at final stage of trials, says defense contractorThe MiG official was interviewed by TASS on the occasion of the anniversary of the Strizhi (Swifts) aerobatic groupRead moreSlovak premier says Ukraine’s decision not to sign peace deal in 2022 was a mistakeRobert Fico added that the West has been "pouring oil on the flames of the conflict in Ukraine," describing the possibility of a larger conflict between Russia and NATO as a "mortal danger"Read moreDuma commission registers over 200 attempts to disrupt regional elections in RussiaOrchestrators focused primarily on shaping a negative information agenda in Russian regions regarding the special military operation, the country's socio-economic situation, and migration, commission chairman Vasily Piskarev toldRead moreRussian stocks close in the green on FridayThe MOEX Index grew by 1.3% to 2,278.06 points, while the RTS Index added 1.67% to 852.33 pointsRead moreRussian troops strike logistics centers, energy sites used by Ukrainian army in past dayOperational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck arms depots, logistics centers, fuel and energy, transport and port infrastructure facilities in Ukraine used by the Ukrainian army, ammunition and materiel depots, workshops assembling and sites storing unmanned aerial vehicles and their componentsRead moreRussia sues Chinese accused of hostage takingThe defendant extorted 3.5 million Chinese Yuan (more than 15,058,000 roubles) from themRead morePolling stations’ hours in DPR to be cut on September 20 over higher drone activityThey will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. Moscow timeRead moreOver 104,000 Russians abroad voted in State Duma elections — Russian MFA spokeswomanMaria Zakharova added that election officials conducted 120 mobile early voting sessionsRead moreUnited Russia ahead in Duma election with 90.43% of ballots processedIt is followed by the CPRF with 13,84%, the LDPR with 8.9%, New People with 7.94%, and A Just Russia with 4.95%Read moreRussian parliamentary election turnout rises to 44.63% — election authorityThe information was posted on the Russian Central Election Commission’s website and reflects data as of 1:00 a.m. GMTRead moreMerz’s CDU loses vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania — electoral bodyAccording to a statement by the state election commission, the CDU took a mere 4.9% of the voteRead moreWarehouses, infrastructure facilities damaged in Kiev RegionAccording to Timur Tkachenko, damage was recorded in the Fastov, Bucha, Vyshgorod, Borispol, and Obukhov districts of the Kiev RegionRead moreKiev loses over 1,340 troops along engagement line in past day — Russia’s top brassThe latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost up to 245 troops in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, more than 210 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West and some 145 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup SouthRead moreChairwoman of Central Election Commission says term "unfriendly countries" is too mildElla Pamfilova said that it is time to come up with a new term for themRead moreMore than 45% of Russians have voted in the election as of Sunday morning — CEC chairwomanThe number of voters who cast their ballots through the remote electronic voting system exceeded 6 millionRead moreUAC plans to increase aircraft production by 25-30% in 2026CEO Vadim Badekha noted that while growth in 2025-2026 was driven mainly by military aircraftRead moreRussia ready to restore relations with its European neighbors — PutinRussian president mentioned that during a meeting of the Military-Industrial CommissionRead moreRussian forces hit Fire Point warehouse storing drone components in Kiev RegionRussian forces carried out overnight strikes with unmanned aerial vehicles on logistics centers, warehouses and ports in UkraineRead moreUnidentified man splashes wine into Hungarian premier’s face to protest his policiesNo information about this man’s political affiliation has been published so farRead moreAll attempts to disrupt State Duma votes abroad failed — Russian Deputy FMState Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Yevgeny Ivanov also highlighted the total failure of a widely publicized campaign orchestrated by the non-systemic opposition, who had planned to paralyze polling stations with mass midday gatheringsRead moreUkraine virtually lost its steel industry — FTAccording to the article, strikes damaged blast furnaces at three facilities, including two plants owned by Metinvest and an ArcelorMittal facility in Krivoy RogRead moreRussia’s electoral body to announce preliminary results of Duma electionThe event is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. GMT on MondayRead moreDrone attack on Moscow Region leaves two dead — governorBetween 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Moscow time on Sunday, at least 249 drones were jammed and destroyed in 17 municipalities of the Moscow RegionRead moreRussian forces hit tanker carrying military supplies for Ukrainian troopsThe footage shows a tanker hit by two Geran-4 Seeker drones in the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa RegionRead morePutin notes at meeting with US negotiators that situation is difficult to discuss"And we will have to deal with it today", Russian President said in his opening remarks Read moreUS used AI in preparation for attack on school in Iran’s Minab — BloombergThe US military did not take advantage of a whole series of opportunities to prevent the tragedy, the agency saidRead moreAir defenses intercept all Flamingo missiles heading for Moscow region — Defense MinistryRead moreAfD co-chair urges Merz to ‘draw conclusions’ after crushing election defeatAlice Weidel added that the AfD’s long-term strategy aims at coalition negotiations with the Christian DemocratsRead moreRussian parliamentary election turnout rises to 45.1% — election authorityThe Russian Central Election Commission said on its websiteRead moreMoscow says Latvia, Estonia try to intimidate Russians who want to voteRussian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova explained, that the police check and record the documents of any person who tries to enter the Russian embassyRead more