⌨Russian media highlighted President Putin's disclosure of the "special operation's" annual defense spending, stated as 13.5 trillion rubles. This specific figure, a new detail, became a central economic focus, following previous days' discussions on war costs. Concurrently, military reporting in the morning emphasized air defenses downing 31 Ukrainian drones and the capture of Chervonaya Zirka in the Donetsk region by early afternoon, presented as a significant territorial advance.
Diplomatic tensions with Azerbaijan escalated throughout the day, with Baku formally protesting the detention of its citizens in the Urals, leading to explanations from Russia's Foreign Ministry. Internationally, Iran's decision to block IAEA access to nuclear facilities emerged as a key story, while Hungarian Prime Minister Orban reiterated warnings against Ukraine's NATO membership. By evening, news channels focused on growing anti-government protests in Serbia, which reportedly escalated into clashes with police.