Russian media extensively covered an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on Kursk, reporting 115 drones intercepted across five regions with one elderly woman killed and 24 apartment buildings damaged. Russian authorities opened a terrorism investigation as footage of destruction circulated throughout the day.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff emerged as a central figure in peace negotiations, with Russian outlets highlighting his statement that Putin's "five territories" demand is key to any settlement. The Kremlin claimed both countries are "working intensely" toward peace, while Foreign Intelligence Service head Naryshkin outlined Russia's conditions including Ukraine's non-nuclear status.
By afternoon, Russia's military claimed to have surrounded Ukrainian forces in Gornal monastery in Kursk region, intercepting their communications. Evening coverage transitioned to Putin's domestic agenda, with demands to reform mortgage programs and reduce bureaucracy in construction amid signs of a building sector crisis.