Overview

• During a more than three‑hour meeting in Novo‑Ogarevo, Putin held a closed briefing on the situation at the front, according to Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin.
• Putin called for elevating participants of the special military operation to leadership posts, describing them as a future managerial cohort.
• He said defense outlays are delivering qualitative gains in the armed forces and industry and that social commitments are being met, while backing proposals to replenish the budget, according to New People leader Alexey Nechaev.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin will soon submit Igor Krasnov’s candidacy to the Federation Council for appointment as Supreme Court chair.
• Russian officials outlined broader posture: Sergey Lavrov downplayed the impact of potential new sanctions, Maria Zakharova ruled out entry restrictions for EU citizens, and Sergey Ryabkov condemned threats of force against Venezuela, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Putin "let him down" on Ukraine talks.