Russia is preparing the informational groundwork for a limited, staggered call-up of reservists in 2026 as it seeks to offset mounting battlefield losses in Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

It would be preferable for everything to be prepared in advance for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, said Alexey Chepa, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, in an interview with Lenta.ru.

Russia will abolish the bachelor’s and master’s degree system starting September 1, 2026, introducing new formats of basic and specialized higher education, according to a senior State Duma official.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on the parliaments of Russia and North Korea to ensure the full implementation of bilateral treaties, during a meeting with Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin in Pyongyang on Thursday.

Russia’s State Duma has introduced a bill that would transform the country’s biannual military draft into a year-round mobilization, according to documents submitted on July 22.

The chair and deputy chair of the Russian State Duma’s Defense Committee have proposed a bill that would allow military conscription (distinct from mobilization) to occur year-round, if authorized by a presidential decree.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko accused the European Union and NATO on Tuesday of actively preparing for a military confrontation with Russia, deepening concerns over the deteriorating security climate in Europe.

Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, ratified a security guarantees treaty with Belarus, enhancing defense cooperation within the Union State.

Azerbaijan on Monday announced an entry ban on Russian lawmaker Nikolai Valuev.