Morning coverage revealed Ukrainian attempts to breach Kursk region during yesterday's Istanbul talks, while power outages affected nearly one million people in occupied territories following drone strikes. The Kremlin quickly dampened expectations, with Peskov stating not to anticipate breakthroughs or trilateral meetings between Putin, Trump, and Zelensky.
By midday, sabotage escalated as authorities classified bridge explosions in Bryansk and Kursk regions as terrorist attacks. Ukrainian intelligence claimed responsibility for damaging Crimean Bridge supports, prompting temporary traffic closures. Courts designated World of Tanks developers as extremists while clarifying players face no charges.
Evening brought definitive rejection of ceasefire prospects, with Kremlin sources telling media "we will fight" rather than use Istanbul negotiations for ending hostilities. The White House revealed Kiev failed to inform Trump about airfield attacks, while Turkish officials announced agreement on future negotiation rounds despite Moscow's apparent disinterest in actual peace.