Ukraine Peace Talks Standoff: Vladimir Putin rejected Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s open-letter call for a face-to-face meeting, saying there’s “no point” without long-term agreements and calling the tone “boorish,” while ordering troops to keep working. Drone War Escalation: St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region faced a large-scale Ukrainian UAV attack; officials reported dozens shot down and warned residents to stay indoors, as Russia also claimed hundreds of drone interceptions across multiple regions. Crypto Regulation Tightens: Russia’s central bank set strict retail limits under the digital currency framework: non-qualified investors can access only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT, with an annual cap of about 300,000 rubles per broker. SPIEF Diplomacy & Defense: Putin used the St. Petersburg forum to back India’s “sovereign” course against Western pressure, praised Indian tech talent, and renewed the Su-57 offer for possible joint work. Energy & Geopolitics: Rosneft’s Sechin blamed the Strait of Hormuz closure on U.S. attempts to reshape energy markets for American benefit, while Putin said he saw “no provocation” from Iran before the U.S.-Israeli war. Regional Security Deals: Pakistan and Russia signed SCO-linked agreements to curb illegal immigration and narcotics trafficking, with counterterrorism cooperation focused on Afghanistan.