The Federation Council (; "Soviet Federatsii", common abbreviation: Совфед ("Sovfed") or ) is the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia (the parliament of the Russian Federation), according to the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation. Each of the 85 federal subjects of Russia – consisting of 22 republics, 46 oblasts, nine krais, three federal cities, four autonomous okrugs, and one autonomous oblast – sends two senators to the Council, for a total membership of 170 Senators. In addition, the Constitution also provides for senators from the Russian Federation, which can be no more than thirty (up to seven of them for life), as well as (optionally) former presidents as life senators ( there are no such life senators).