Morning reports confirmed over half of Azovstal defenders had returned from Russian captivity, marking progress in prisoner exchanges initiated earlier this week. A Russian deputy mayor involved in Mariupol airstrikes died in a grenade explosion in Stavropol, with Ukrainian outlets highlighting his role in guiding missiles to the city.
The diplomatic momentum from yesterday's Istanbul announcement stalled as Zelensky revealed throughout the day that Russia had failed to transmit its promised memorandum with ceasefire proposals to Ukraine or international partners. He characterized this as another Russian deception, stating "words do not work with Moscow."
Germany's Merz indicated Taurus missile deliveries remained possible "within limits," though Zelensky noted they had agreed not to discuss certain military topics publicly. Ukraine secured a $500 million IMF tranche while Zelensky accused China of blocking drone supplies to Ukraine while continuing deliveries to Russia. Fighting continued with 119 clashes reported, concentrated in the Pokrovsk sector.