Three Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) volleyball players have been included in the Russian national team squad for the international tournament in Ufa, which will take place from August 21 to 23.
Former teammates of Bulgarian international Simeon Nikolov – opposite Ilya Kazachenkov, middle blocker Dmitry Lyzik, and outside hitter Omar Kurbanov – are among those selected for the three international matches.
The All-Russian Volleyball Federation (VFV) officially confirmed the tournament, with Russia facing Iran, Belarus, and Cuba consecutively. The competition is already included in the federation's official calendar as "International Match Meetings – Men" with dates August 21–23, 2026.
All three of Russia's matches are scheduled for 5:00 PM Moscow time. In August, Bulgaria and Moscow are in the same time zone – UTC+3, which means the matches start at 5:00 PM Bulgarian time.
Russia's schedule in Bulgarian time:
August 21, 5:00 PM: Russia – Iran
August 22, 5:00 PM: Russia – Belarus
August 23, 5:00 PM: Russia – Cuba
Currently, the VFV has not officially announced where the matches will be broadcast, and no specific links for live streaming of the three matches have been published. The Federation has its own video section and broadcasts matches through its website, but for now, there is no confirmation that the matches from the Ufa tournament will be available there.
The tournament is shaping up to be a serious test for the Russian national team. Cuba ranks 15th in the world rankings, and Iran is 19th. After their positions in the rankings were restored, Russia is in 3rd place, while Belarus is 37th.
The VFV described the matches as an important step towards Russia's return to the international competitive rhythm. In early July, FIVB allowed Russian clubs and national teams to participate in international tournaments again.
Russia's squad for the Ufa tournament
Setters: Pavel Pankov (Dynamo Moscow), Roman Poroshin (Belogorie)
Opposites: Maxim Sapozhkov (Dynamo Moscow), Ilya Kazachenkov (Lokomotiv Novosibirsk)
Middle blockers: Ilya Vlasov, Dmitry Zhuk (Dynamo Moscow), Dmitry Lyzik (Lokomotiv Novosibirsk), Roman Romanovsky (Zenit Kazan)
Outside hitters: Dmitry Volkov, Anton Semyshev, Denis Bogdan (Dynamo Moscow), Omar Kurbanov (Lokomotiv Novosibirsk)
Liberos: Ilya Fedorov (Zenit Kazan), Evgeny Baranov (Dynamo Moscow)
Thus, Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk), led by Plamen Konstantinov, will have three representatives in the Russian national team – Kazachenkov, Lyzik, and Kurbanov.
