08:56⇢Putin demands Ukraine recognize occupied territory referendums
⌨Russian outlets report Putin's demand that Ukraine recognize referendum results in Donbass and Novorossiya as a condition for conflict resolution (Kommersant, RBC, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, TASS). This represents a shift from previous territorial claims to focusing on specific referendums held in occupied territories. Coverage dominates with Putin's interview to Sky News Arabia discussing both Ukraine and Iran, where he stated Iran has rights to peaceful nuclear energy while the IAEA found no evidence of weapons programs (RIA Novosti, RT). Meanwhile, most Russian outlets report the death of actress Valentina Talyzina, a People's Artist of Russia, creating unusual uniformity across state and independent media (Interfax, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Lenta, NTV). The Moscow Times separately reports Russian attacks on energy infrastructure in Kremenchuk, while Russian officials claim compliance with agreements on transferring Ukrainian soldiers' bodies (Vesti).