RUSSIA PRO
Back to Profiles
Organizations

State Duma

8 documentsFirst seen Apr 5, 2026Last seen Apr 6, 2026

Background

The State Duma is the lower chamber of the Federal Assembly of Russia and forms part of the country’s federal legislature alongside the Federation Council. Created by the Constitution of the Russian Federation in 1993, it serves as the main chamber for considering federal draft laws, amendments, and other legislative matters within the Russian state system. Its members are called deputies, and the body plays a central role in shaping domestic policy, legal regulation, and oversight of national legislation.

The chamber is based in central Moscow, near Manege Square, and is headed by a speaker, a post currently held by Vyacheslav Volodin. Its work is organized through plenary sessions and specialized committees, including the State Duma Committee on Sports, as well as through procedures that involve the review of draft bills before they are formally submitted for consideration. In the Russian political structure, the State Duma is one of the principal institutions of federal authority, with lawmaking responsibilities that affect state administration, social policy, economic regulation, and relations between the federal center and other public institutions.

The State Duma replaced the Supreme Soviet after the 1993 constitutional crisis and the adoption of a new constitution under Boris Yeltsin, approved by nationwide referendum. Its electoral rules and term lengths have changed over time, including periods of proportional representation with a 7 percent threshold in the 2007 and 2011 elections, and a later extension of deputies’ terms to five years beginning with the 2011 elections. Recent reported activity includes passage of amendments expanding free legal aid for certain categories of citizens from annexed Ukrainian territories, as well as participation in work on education policy and public commissions, indicating its continuing role in current legislative and administrative priorities.

Timeline

  1. The State Duma passed amendments expanding free legal aid to persons from annexed Ukrainian territories seeking refugee status or Russian citizenship.

    Access to Free Legal Aid Expanded for Certain Categories of Citizens

  2. The State Duma was expected to consider granting tax deductions and university admission points to holders of GTO badges connected with drone racing.

    Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive Benefits

  3. The State Duma was involved in plans to add drone racing to the GTO national fitness program by 2027–2028.

    Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive Benefits

  4. The State Duma received a bill on establishing the SPOT national system for confirming the anticipated delivery of goods from EAEU countries.

    Bill on the Establishment of a National System for Confirming Anticipated Delivery of Goods Approved by the Government Legislative Activity Commission

Documents