Russian parliament to consider authorizing Kremlin request to use Russian army abroad

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, listen to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, right, before a bilateral meeting at United Nations headquarters in New York, Monday, Sept. 28, 2015. (Mikhail Klimentyev, RIA-Novosti, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin pose for members of the media before a bilateral meeting Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, at United Nations headquarters. (Sergey Guneyev/RIA-Novosti, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin pose for members of the media before a bilateral meeting Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, at United Nations headquarters. (Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA-Novosti, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

Russian news agencies are quoting the chairwoman of Russia's upper chamber of parliament as saying that lawmakers will consider the Kremlin's request to use its army abroad.

President Vladimir Putin has to request a parliamentary approval for any use of Russian troops abroad, according to the Russian constitution. The last time he did so was before Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014.

The Federation Council, the upper chamber of parliament, on Wednesday cut its live web-cast broadcast in order to consider Putin's request.