Russian President Vladimir Putin has described Pakistan as a close partner of Russia, emphasizing that the relationship between the two nations is essential for protecting mutual interests. The statement came after Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, formally presented his credentials to Putin at a ceremony in Moscow. During the event, Tirmizi conveyed greetings and best wishes from Pakistan’s President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the Pakistani people.

According to the Russian Embassy in Pakistan, Putin noted that Moscow maintains close cooperation with Islamabad in economic, technological, and humanitarian areas, particularly as both countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He said bilateral collaboration is expanding in trade, diplomacy, education, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, railways, industry, health, and information technology.

The report added that Pakistan has strengthened ties with Russia in recent years as Moscow seeks new energy markets following Western sanctions over Ukraine, while Islamabad aims to reduce import costs. Pakistan began purchasing Russian crude oil in 2023.

Russia has accused a British diplomat stationed in Moscow of engaging in espionage, prompting a swift rejection from the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office. The accusation was followed by Russia’s announcement on Thursday that the diplomat would be expelled from the country.

According to a report from London citing AFP, the UK Foreign Office dismissed the charge as malicious and entirely unfounded. In its statement, the ministry said that such politically motivated allegations from the Kremlin against British diplomats were not new. It added that London was reviewing possible responses to the expulsion and the accusation.

Observers noted that this incident could further escalate diplomatic tensions between Moscow and London, which have already been strained by previous disputes.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow will continue its trade relations with Iran despite the recent U.S. decision to impose an additional 25 percent tariff on countries trading with Tehran. Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said Russia must carry on its work and implement existing agreements with Iran and other economic partners.

The Kremlin criticized the U.S. move, describing it as an attempt to isolate Iran. Lavrov argued that when a powerful country like the United States resorts to such measures, it signals a weakening position in the competitive global market. The statement came after China also rejected the U.S. tariff decision and confirmed its intention to maintain economic ties with Iran.

The Russian stance underscores continued resistance among key global players to U.S. economic pressure on Iran, suggesting that Washington’s tariff policy may face limited international compliance.

A Russian commander has claimed that his unit shot down a US-made F-16 fighter jet operated by Ukraine. In an interview broadcast on Russia-1 TV, the commander, identified as Sevar, said the aircraft was the most attractive target for his unit. According to him, two missiles were fired at the jet, with the first damaging it and the second delivering the final strike. Sevar stated that the operation took considerable preparation time and that his team had been tracking the aircraft before it entered their target zone. He did not specify when the incident occurred.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reportedly carried out separate attacks on three Russian oil extraction facilities in the Caspian Sea and launched drone strikes on the city of Voronezh. The governor of the Voronezh region, Alexander Gusev, confirmed that one woman was killed and three others were injured in the drone attack. Several drones were shot down over the city, but casualties could not be avoided. The extent of damage to the Caspian oil facilities remains unclear.

The developments highlight continuing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides reporting strikes across multiple fronts.

A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said on Sunday. Governor Alexander Gusev reported that a young woman died overnight in hospital after debris from a drone fell on a house. More than ten apartment buildings, private homes, and a high school were damaged. Gusev added that air defences shot down 17 drones over the city, describing the incident as one of the heaviest drone attacks since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

Ukraine did not immediately comment on the Voronezh attack but has previously said it targets sites inside Russia to disrupt Moscow’s war effort and respond to repeated missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The assault followed Russia’s launch of a hypersonic Oreshnik missile on Friday at a site in Ukraine near NATO member Poland, which European allies viewed as an attempt to discourage continued support for Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said negotiations with the United States were ongoing. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Russia launched 154 drones overnight into Sunday, with 125 intercepted by Ukrainian defences.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russian troops in Ukraine are on a 'sacred mission'. He made the remarks on Wednesday at an event with military personnel and their families at the Church of St. George the Victorious in Moscow. Putin compared the soldiers’ role to that of Jesus Christ, saying they are working to protect their homeland and its people.

Putin said that throughout Russian history, soldiers have been viewed as fulfilling a 'sacred mission' sent by God. Addressing the children of service members, he urged them to be proud of their parents and relatives currently engaged in the war, emphasizing that the Russian people have always taken pride in their fighters.

According to the report, Russian forces began their military operation in Ukraine in 2022, and the conflict continues. Since January 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has been attempting to bring an end to the hostilities.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal citing US intelligence sources, American officials have stated that there is no evidence Ukraine attempted to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin or his residence. The CIA’s assessment indicates that Ukraine did not target Putin or any of his residences in the recent drone incident. Officials clarified that Ukraine’s intended target was a military site located in the same region as Putin’s residence but not near it.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia has failed to provide credible evidence supporting its claim of a Ukrainian drone strike on the president’s residence in the Novgorod region. Former US President Donald Trump also dismissed the Russian claim in a social media post linking to a New York Post editorial that criticized Putin’s reaction to the alleged attack. Trump later said he believed the attack might not have occurred after speaking with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky denied the allegation, arguing that such claims undermine Ukraine’s diplomatic progress with Trump’s team and could be used to justify further Russian aggression.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia’s formal recognition of Afghanistan’s Taliban government has opened new opportunities for regional cooperation. Russia granted official recognition to the Taliban administration in July, a move welcomed by the Afghan government, according to Tolo News. Lavrov emphasized that the recognition has paved the way for collaboration between the two countries in areas including regional security.

The Taliban government in Kabul expressed appreciation for Russia’s stance, saying that expanding regional cooperation would contribute to regional stability. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid called on other countries to normalize relations with Afghanistan, describing Russia’s decision as courageous and beneficial for positive engagement.

Political analyst Najibullah Hotak noted that Russia, as a regional power, could encourage Central Asian and other nations to strengthen ties with Afghanistan. Russia remains the only country to have officially recognized the Taliban government as of July 4.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Ukraine shows no urgency toward establishing peace and warned that if Kyiv does not pursue a peaceful resolution, Russia will achieve its objectives through force. His remarks were reported by the state news agency TASS.

The statement came after Russia launched extensive missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that while Kyiv seeks peace, Moscow continues to show a determination to wage war. Zelensky is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to discuss a possible peace agreement, and Putin’s comments emerged ahead of that meeting. Reuters reported that the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced on Telegram that Russian forces had captured several towns in eastern Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia region. However, Ukraine’s military denied Russia’s claims, calling them baseless and asserting that Ukrainian troops continue defensive operations in those areas.

A new survey by Russia’s state-owned polling agency VTsIOM reveals that most Russians believe the war in Ukraine will conclude in 2026. The optimism stems from Russia’s recent battlefield advances and intensified diplomatic efforts between Moscow and Kyiv to reach a ceasefire agreement. The poll, conducted among 1,600 respondents, found that 55% expect the conflict to end next year, while 70% foresee 2026 as a more successful year for Russia overall.

VTsIOM’s deputy head, Mikhail Mamonov, noted that the positive outlook is linked to President Vladimir Putin’s recent remarks suggesting the “special military operation” could soon align with national interests and approach resolution. Despite ongoing economic and social challenges, the survey indicates a shift in public sentiment toward cautious optimism about the future.

Analysts suggest the findings reflect a combination of war fatigue and growing expectations for stability. However, observers warn that the path to peace remains uncertain, dependent on both battlefield dynamics and diplomatic negotiations in the coming months.

Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos has announced plans to construct a nuclear power plant on the Moon by 2036. The facility is expected to supply electricity to Russia’s lunar exploration program and a planned joint Russia-China research base. The project will be developed in partnership with the Lavochkin Association, with participation from the state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute, Russia’s leading nuclear research center.

The initiative marks Moscow’s renewed ambition to regain prominence in space exploration after setbacks such as the crash of its Luna-25 lander in 2023. Roscosmos described the proposed power plant as a critical step toward establishing a sustainable lunar presence. Although the agency did not explicitly confirm the plant’s nuclear nature, the involvement of major nuclear institutions strongly indicates that direction.

Analysts view the project as part of Russia’s broader strategy to compete with the United States and China in lunar development. If successful, it could enable long-term human and robotic operations on the Moon, though technical and financial challenges remain significant.

A bomb explosion outside a police station in Moscow early Wednesday killed three people, including two traffic police officers. According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the blast occurred on Yeletskaya Street when officers approached a suspicious man who then detonated an explosive device. The incident follows a car bomb attack two days earlier in the same area that killed Russian Army General Fanil Sarvarov.

Authorities have not yet confirmed who was behind the latest explosion, though previous similar attacks in Russia have been linked to alleged Ukrainian intelligence involvement. The deceased officers were aged 24 and 25, and one reportedly leaves behind a wife and a nine-month-old child. The attack has prompted heightened security measures across Moscow.

The explosion underscores growing security concerns in the Russian capital amid ongoing regional tensions and recent high-profile attacks. Investigators are working to determine whether the two incidents are connected as Moscow tightens surveillance around police and military facilities.

Russian authorities reported that Ukraine launched a major overnight drone assault targeting Moscow and surrounding regions, including the Tula industrial zone where a fire broke out. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said at least three drones approaching the capital were shot down, and emergency services were deployed to affected areas. No immediate casualties or damage were reported.

Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that its air defense systems destroyed 172 Ukrainian drones overnight, with nearly half intercepted near border regions. Two of Moscow’s four main airports temporarily restricted operations following the attacks. Tula Governor Dmitry Milyaev confirmed that debris from a downed drone caused a fire at an industrial facility, though details about the site or damage remain undisclosed.

The incident marks another escalation in Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign targeting Russian military, energy, and logistics infrastructure. Kyiv maintains that such strikes are a defensive response to Russia’s continued assaults on Ukrainian territory, signaling the deepening technological and strategic dimensions of the conflict.

Russia’s government has formally authorized its Defense Ministry to terminate a series of bilateral military cooperation agreements signed with several European countries between 1992 and 2002. The annulled accords include those with Germany, Poland, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic. The move marks a symbolic end to the post-Cold War framework that once sought to foster mutual security and transparency between Moscow and Western capitals.

According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the decision reflects the shifting geopolitical reality and the deterioration of relations with NATO member states. Analysts note that the cancellation underscores Moscow’s pivot toward its own security alliances, particularly the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes Belarus and other former Soviet republics. European officials have yet to issue a coordinated response, though observers view the step as further evidence of deepening East-West estrangement.

The decision may complicate future arms control or confidence-building measures in Europe, reinforcing the divide between Russia and NATO and signaling a long-term restructuring of regional security architecture.

A senior Russian military officer, General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in a car bomb explosion in Moscow early Monday morning. The blast occurred around 6:55 a.m. local time on Yasenovaya Street, destroying his vehicle and damaging several others nearby. Sarvarov, who headed the General Staff’s Operational Training Directorate, was initially found critically injured but died shortly after. Russian investigators have opened a criminal case into the incident.

Authorities in Moscow suspect that Ukrainian special forces may have been behind the attack, though Kyiv has not issued any official comment. Sarvarov had previously played a key role in planning and executing Russian military operations in Syria between 2015 and 2016 before assuming his current post in 2016. The explosion has heightened security concerns in the Russian capital amid ongoing tensions with Ukraine.

Analysts suggest the killing could further strain Moscow-Kyiv relations and prompt tighter internal security measures. Investigations are ongoing to determine the perpetrators and possible cross-border links.