The morning began with Trump appointing key positions in his future administration, including Elon Musk for government efficiency and a Fox News host for Pentagon chief. By mid-morning, a car explosion in Sevastopol killed a Black Sea Fleet captain, with authorities opening a terrorism investigation.
Military developments included claims of capturing Rovnopol in DPR and intercepting 29 Ukrainian drones over six regions. The government established new compensation rates for military injuries at 3 million rubles for severe cases. Rosoboronexport announced first export contracts for Su-57 fighters.
By evening, Russia exchanged nine female Azov battalion cooks captured in Mariupol, while a bridge collapsed in Crimea. The day concluded with Trump naming Marco Rubio as future Secretary of State, while Kazakh banks increased processing times for Russian business payments.