Overview

• Meeting Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev in Tajikistan, Vladimir Putin said a Ukrainian drone in the area and a technical malfunction led Russian missiles to detonate near the Embraer 190, with debris fatally damaging the jet that later crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38.
• Putin said the investigation is complete, denied a direct missile hit on the aircraft, and promised compensation to victims’ families as well as legal accountability for those responsible.
• Ukraine reported drone strikes on fuel and gas infrastructure in Russia’s Volgograd region, with local officials acknowledging a fire at an energy site and satellite imagery indicating a blaze; Kyiv claims such attacks have contributed to a roughly 20% domestic fuel shortfall in Russia.
• Russian drones struck Odessa, injuring at least five people and damaging port and energy facilities, with authorities reporting power outages and the Defense Ministry in Moscow confirming strikes on the city and its infrastructure.
• NATO allies are in early talks on tougher defensive steps after repeated airspace violations, including arming surveillance drones and easing rules for pilots to engage Russian aircraft, while analysts at ISW describe a heightened phase of hybrid provocations.