Overview
- Ex-president Dmitry Medvedev accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government of suppressing the opposition in comments tied to AfD politicians’ Russia trip, according to state agency Tass.
- At least three AfD figures — Steffen Kotré, Hans Neuhoff and Jörg Urban — spoke in Sochi and gave interviews to Russian state media urging an end to sanctions and a return to Russian energy; Rainer Rothfuß canceled his travel plans.
- CDU premier Michael Kretschmer urged reopening energy trade with Russia after a ceasefire, drawing sharp rebuke from CDU foreign-policy lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter, who called the idea absurd and a security risk.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a rapid shake-up at Energoatom and other state energy firms after a corruption case alleging up to $100 million in kickbacks, with two ministers resigning and suspects reported to have fled abroad.
- Ukraine said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region to curb attack capacity, while the regional governor reported drones shot down and a fire from debris as Russian strikes continued to hit Ukrainian cities and energy sites.