Common Questions

How is Russia funding the war in 2026?: Russia allocated 38–40% of federal spending to defence in 2026. The National Wealth Fund shed .8 billion in January–February. On 16 April the US killed the GL134A oil waiver worth million per day and redesignated Rosneft and Lukoil under sanctions.Source: CREA, US Treasury
Who is Kirill Dmitriev and why is he in Washington?: Kirill Dmitriev is head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Kremlin's back-channel to Washington. He met US officials around 9–10 April 2026 on Ukraine peace terms and US-Russia economic cooperation, with no Ukrainian representative present.Source: event
What was Putin's Easter ceasefire in 2026?: Putin issued a decree on 9 April declaring a 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire effective 11–12 April 2026. His published Kremlin calendar showed no US contacts for nine days around the decree. Ukraine's General Staff logged violations; Russia claimed 10,721 Ukrainian violations.Source: Kremlin calendar
How does Orbán losing affect Russia?: Orbán's defeat in the 12 April 2026 Hungarian election removes Moscow's most reliable EU blocking partner. Hungary's vetoes on sanctions packages and the €90 billion Ukraine loan are now expected to be lifted by incoming PM Péter Magyar.Source: event
What happened when Iran's Foreign Minister visited Moscow?: Abbas Araghchi met Putin at the Kremlin on 25-27 April 2026. Putin declared the US war 'absolutely unprovoked aggression' and Russia called the US naval blockade unlawful. No joint statement was signed. Russian Il-76 aircraft were simultaneously flying military components into Iran.Source: Kremlin / RFE/RL
Is Russia supplying weapons to Iran in the 2026 war?: Yes. RFE/RL reported Russian Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft flying radar systems, electronic-warfare components and aviation parts into Mehrabad and Bandar Abbas at high tempo in late April 2026. The Pentagon assessed China-Russia support as the reason Iran's military remained operational after the February strikes.Source: RFE/RL / Pentagon assessment
What sanctions did the US impose on Russia during the Iran conflict?: On 16 April 2026, the US confirmed General License 134A (worth ~$150m/day in Russian oil revenue) would not be renewed, and Rosneft and Lukoil were redesignated under SDN in a coordinated US, UK and EU action — even as Russia received Araghchi and continued supplying Iran.Source: US Treasury / OFAC

Background

Moscow is Russia's capital and seat of federal power, with a population of roughly 13 million and approximately 20% of Russian GDP. It directs Russia's dual-track posture: military pressure in Ukraine alongside diplomatic positioning through Washington rather than Kyiv. Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev held meetings in Washington on Ukraine peace terms while US envoys bypassed Kyiv for Pakistan — Moscow's preferred trilateral geometry at work without Ukrainian representation in the room.

Moscow became a focal point of Iran diplomacy on 25-27 April 2026 when Abbas Araghchi flew from Muscat to the Kremlin after the Islamabad talks collapsed. Putin received him publicly, stated in televised remarks that 'this absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran is unjustified', and Russia declared the US naval blockade unlawful. Present alongside Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov were the Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff and Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov — signalling the meeting had a military as well as diplomatic dimension. RFE/RL simultaneously reported Russian Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft flying radar systems, electronic-warfare components and aviation parts into Mehrabad and Bandar Abbas at high tempo. The Pentagon assessed China-Russia military support as the reason Iran's military machine remained operational after the February strikes.

Russia sustained two fiscal blows in April. Treasury Secretary Bessent confirmed that GL-134A would not be renewed, closing a revenue channel worth approximately $150 million per day; Rosneft and Lukoil were simultaneously redesignated under SDN. Russia's National Wealth Fund had already shed 400 billion roubles in January-February 2026, with the business climate index at its weakest reading since the 2022 invasion.

How the World Sees Them

Iran

Araghchi's Kremlin visit signals Moscow is Tehran's most important non-Pakistani interlocutor; Russia's public condemnation of the blockade validates Iran's legal framing while Russian aircraft keep Iranian military operational.

Ukraine

Moscow's preferred trilateral geometry routes diplomacy through Washington, cutting Kyiv out of direct engagement. The Easter ceasefire and Dmitriev Washington visits both ran without Ukrainian representation.

United States

GL-134A non-renewal and Rosneft/Lukoil redesignation signal a tactical sanctions tightening on Russia even as Washington continues to accept Moscow's self-assigned role as Iran's diplomatic ally.