INSIDE RUSSIA - WHAT'S HAPPENING IN RUSSIA RIGHT NOW | September 26, 2026

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RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2022

On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meeting lasted 20 minutes, TASS reports. The last time Lavrov met with a German foreign minister was in January 2022, several weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when he met with Annalena Baerbock. 

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s press service, the meeting was requested by the German side, and during it the parties discussed bilateral relations and the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year. “On these and other issues, J. Wadephul confirmed the position of the German government that has been repeatedly stated publicly,” the statement said.

Earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany, the second-largest donor of aid to Kyiv after the United States, intends to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russia. “We support Ukraine and will continue to support it because it is also defending our freedom,” he said during a Bundestag debate on September 9. According to Merz, Western countries and NATO had not threatened Russia, contrary to statements by the Kremlin. The chancellor also said that Germany supports efforts to reach a peaceful solution to end the war, which is possible only with the participation of Ukraine, the United States, and Europe.

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THE FIRST SESSION OF THE NEW RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE PLACE TEN DAYS AFTER THE ELECTIONS — A RECORD-SHORT PERIOD 

The first session of the Russian Government of the IX convocation will take place as early as next week, on Wednesday, September 30. Vladimir Putin signed a decree to this effect. This is the shortest interval between voting and the start of the lower house of parliament’s work in the history of modern Russia, noted Important Stories.

The Russian Government convenes on the 30th day after its election, although the president may set an earlier date by decree, according to Article 99 of the Constitution.

The first three convocations of the lower house, in 1994, 1996, and 2000, did indeed convene a month after the elections — Boris Yeltsin, who was president at the time, did not sign the relevant decrees.

Later, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev instructed newly elected senators to convene two to three weeks earlier than the deadline. In 2003, 2007, and 2021, the Russian Government held its first session 22–23 days after the election. In 2011 and 2016, the lower house of parliament began its work 17 days after the elections.

Initially, the new convocation of the Russian Government was supposed to convene 15 days after the vote, but the date was moved five days earlier, Interfax sources said.

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KREMLIN BUDGETS RECORD DISCOUNTS ON RUSSIAN OIL 

Russian oil companies will have to operate next year amid a substantial increase in discounts on their oil and a reduction in revenue from raw-material exports, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development believes.

According to the ministry’s macroeconomic forecast for the next three years, which the government used to draft the federal budget, next year a barrel of Russian oil will be sold abroad for an average of $53, compared with a Brent price of $73.

The discount on Russian oil will therefore amount to $20 per barrel, or 27% of the Brent price, making it the largest ever recorded for the period in which the Ministry of Economic Development has taken discounts on Russian grades into account when preparing the budget.

For the current year, the ministry included a Brent price of $70 per barrel in the budget, while Urals was set at a discount of $11, or 16% below that price.

The 2025 budget was drafted based on a 15% discount on Russian oil: Urals was projected at $69.7 per barrel, and Brent at $81.7. The Ministry of Economic Development forecast approximately the same discount in the 2024 budget: it set the price of Urals at $71.3 per barrel and Brent at $83.5.

Exports of crude oil, which could be hit by U.S. “hell sanctions,” will also decline, according to the ministry’s estimates: from 244 million tons this year to 230.8 million tons next year, and then to 216.6 million tons in 2028–2029.

The forecast for gas exports to countries outside the former Soviet Union and for LNG has also been downgraded: to 77.5 billion cubic meters (instead of 82.5 billion) and 39.5 million tons (instead of 46.9 million).

According to the ministry’s estimates, the result will be a decline in the foreign-currency revenue of Russian oil and gas companies from $219.4 billion this year to $194.1 billion — the lowest level since 2020. In 2028, the inflow of petrodollars will fall even further, to $192 billion for the year, the ministry forecasts.

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JOURNALISTS CALCULATE THE MEDIAN AGE OF RUSSIANS CONVICTED FOR “DISCREDITING” THE ARMY AND SABOTAGE 

The median age of those convicted of “discrediting” the Russian armed forces was 48.5 years, while for sabotage it was 20.7 years. These calculations were published by the Demography Has Fallen outlet based on data from the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation for 2025.

According to the authors, these are the highest and lowest figures among those convicted under political articles. The median age of convicted individuals overall was 36.9 years.

The second-highest figure among the categories presented was for those convicted under the article concerning the activities of an “undesirable” organization (47.6 years). This was followed by “incitement of hatred or enmity” — 41.8 years, “insulting a government official” — 40.5 years, and disclosure of state secrets — 40.2 years. Among those convicted of “fake news” about the army, the median age was 40.1 years; for espionage — 38.9 years; treason — 32.2 years; rehabilitation of Nazism — 30 years; and mass riots — 28 years.

Most of the data concerns 2025. For articles with a small number of convictions, the authors used data from several recent years. 

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RUSSIAN COMPANIES PAY THE MILITARY TO RENT AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS

Russian businesses are hiring engineers from defense companies to develop their own means of protection against drones and are renting air defense systems, The Wall Street Journal writes, citing sources.

According to one source, companies pay engineers to help develop systems, sometimes copying foreign designs. He cited the P1-SUN interceptor drone made by the Ukrainian company SkyFall as an example. Other businesses rent air defense systems directly from the Defense Ministry. 

WSJ also found security guard job openings on Russian hiring service Avito for workers who are expected to detect and shoot down drones. In Moscow, they are offered from 240,000 rubles ($2,800) per month plus bonuses, while in Crimea the pay is more than twice as high. Some listings provide for a contract with the Defense Ministry in exchange for a promise not to send them to the front.

In August, Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing assets to be placed under temporary management for inadequate protection against drones. As WSJ notes, Russian authorities are increasingly shifting responsibility for the security of enterprises onto their owners.

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CONTRACT SERVICE, THE SECURITY FORCES, AND THE “RUSSIAN WORLD”: WHAT CHILDREN WILL BE TAUGHT IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS UNDER THE NEW GOVERNMENT-DEVELOPED CURRICULUM 

The list of topics for the mandatory social studies course for 11th grade of Russian high school has come into the possession of independent outlet Govorit NeMoskva — it was sent by readers from Siberia. 

Under the new, “patriotic” curriculum, almost the entire course is transformed into an ideological block with a pronounced emphasis on military and law-enforcement topics. The curriculum is based on a textbook edited by chairman of “party in power” United Russia Dmitry Medvedev.

As follows from the document, seven classes are devoted to studying the topics of Russian statehood and sovereignty.

Nine classes are devoted to law-enforcement agencies and the military. This block includes the following topics: “Military Duty,” “Armed Forces of Russia,” and “Contract Service” (two lessons each), “Military Education in Russia,” “Rosgvardiya and the Ministry of Internal Affairs,” and “State Security Agencies.” During a review class, students will once again be reminded of the need to protect “state interests.”

Additionally, students will be told about the “transformation of world orders,” the Cold War, a “just world order,” and the “Russian world.”

Govorit NeMoskva asked one of the schoolteachers to comment on the changes to the curriculum:

“First of all, this thematic plan is not about social studies. It is an entirely different course. Secondly, I don’t understand who this is intended for. Do the authors really believe that after listening to this course for two hours a week, graduates will rush off to ‘defend Russia’s sovereignty’? Most likely, no. Both Medvedev’s textbook and this curriculum were created not for schools, not for children, but for one reader. Who, due to his incompetence in practically everything he takes on, upon seeing something like this will, of course, decide that in a year or two he will get a young influx for his war. There is only one thing to be happy about: modern children, as in all times, are smarter than adults and learn to live “below the radar,” letting all this swampy muck pass over their ears.”

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RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IMPOSES 35% TARIFF ON DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS FROM “UNFRIENDLY COUNTRIES” 

The Russian government has introduced customs duties of 35% on imports of biologically active dietary supplements (BAAs) from “unfriendly countries” that take measures “violating the economic interests of the Russian Federation.” 

The corresponding government decree, signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, was published on September 25. The measure, which will come into force on October 2 and remain in effect until the end of next year, does not apply to supplies from Slovakia and Hungary.

The new higher tariff applies to dietary supplements in consumer packaging bearing identification markings. These include vitamin complexes, mineral supplements, and other similar products. In 2023, the Russian National Union for Consumer Rights Protection (NSZPP) proposed introducing a complete ban on imports of such products from unfriendly countries or imposing a prohibitive tariff of 220%, which would effectively amount to an import ban, RBC notes.

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CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED IN THE RUSSIAN CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG SIX YEARS AFTER COVID 

St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov signed a decree fully repealing the “anti-COVID” decree No. 121, which had been in effect in the city since March 2020. For 6.5 years, the document was formally extended every few months and served as a universal legal basis for the local authorities to ban any public gatherings and street protests.

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic back in May 2023. However, the St. Petersburg administration maintained the restrictions until the fall of 2026 — much longer than the absolute majority of Russian provinces and countries around the world.

The constantly extended “COVID regime” allowed law enforcement and officials to detain citizens and disperse rallies without having to come up with new legal formulations, effectively blocking the right to freedom of assembly in the city for 6.5 years.

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AROUND ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE TAKE PART IN A RALLY AGAINST ELECTION FRAUD IN RUSSIAN PROVINCE 

Today, around one hundred people took part in a rally against election fraud, held in the Russian city of Syktyvkar and organized by the Communist party. Application for the event was submitted by former Russian Government candidate Vyacheslav Kochev.

The city administration did not explicitly ban the rally, but neither did it give the organizers a clear response, limiting itself to a reminder about the need to comply with the law.

This is the first protest against fraud in the recent elections to actually take place in Russia. Applications for similar rallies were also submitted in the cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Perm, Izhevsk, Kazan, Ulan-Ude, Yekaterinburg, Tyumen, Krasnodar, and Lipetsk. In St. Petersburg, Perm, and Kazan, the authorities refused to approve the rallies.

ON THAT NOTE, WE END TODAY’S NEWS BROADCAST.

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