Missile Limits Abandoned

The day's headlines first concentrated on the impending visit of Special Envoy Witkoff to Moscow, with President Trump confirming his arrival on August 6-7, and his statements on US submarine deployments near Russia, prompting the Kremlin to call for caution on nuclear rhetoric. Concurrently, Russian air defenses reported neutralizing 61 Ukrainian drones overnight across various regions. A new domestic focus emerged with a counter-terrorism operation in Kabardino-Balkaria, where militants were liquidated. The trial for the Crocus City Hall terror attack commenced, with perpetrators reportedly admitting guilt. Later in the afternoon, a significant policy shift emerged as the Foreign Ministry declared Russia no longer adheres to self-imposed restrictions on ground-based intermediate-range missiles, a move later characterized by Medvedev as a "new reality." Diplomatic activity continued with President Putin's phone call to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and reports of potential Putin-Zelensky talks once expert preparations conclude. International economic friction also featured, with Trump threatening India with tariffs over Russian oil imports, which India subsequently defended.