The day opened with reports of a Russian drone strike on Kharkiv damaging 25 homes and injuring three, and a drone attack on oil infrastructure in Yaroslavl. By mid-morning, a ballistic strike on Pryluky killed three, including a 15-year-old. Russia launched major nuclear exercises involving Belarus. The afternoon brought the dominant story: Reuters reported that China secretly trained around 200 Russian troops in 2025, some deployed to Ukraine. This was echoed across multiple outlets. General Syrskyi warned of a real threat of a Russian offensive from Belarus. The day ended with continued strikes on Naftogaz facilities for a fourth consecutive day.