Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at the SCO summit in Bishkek on September 1 that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has evolved into one of the independent and influential centers of the emerging multipolar world. ^[1] Anton Glushkov, president of the National Association of Builders (NOSTROY), stated on 2026-01-15 that the number of foreign workers on Russian construction sites increased by approximately 5% over the last year. ^[2] Vladimir Putin emphasized that the SCO is effectively the largest regional association not only on the Eurasian continent but globally. ^[3] Vladimir Putin recalled that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was established in 2001 on the initiative of six states: Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. ^[4] Russia issued 36,413 visas to citizens of North Korea last year, a figure nearly four times higher than the previous year. ^[5] Vladimir Putin stated that the SCO has grown stronger and expanded since its inception in 2001. ^[6] Russia has begun attracting construction workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Vietnam. ^[7]