Key Stories
Ukraine strikes Russian cargo ships in Sea of Azov — Ukrainian forces expanded their strike range overnight, hitting five cargo vessels including ships at the ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol to choke off Russian supplies.
Putin rejects new peace talk proposal from Ukraine — Despite receiving an open letter suggesting negotiations to end the war, Vladimir Putin stated he sees no reason to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart right now.
Russia tries to prove its open for business at economic forum — At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin claimed Russia's economy is comparable to Europe's and criticized Western sanctions for hurting global trust.
Drone warfare shifts the battlefield momentum — Military analysts report that Ukraine has secured a drone advantage and is successfully using intermediate-range strikes to break the long-standing stalemate.
TL;DR
Ukraine has stepped up its strike campaign by hitting cargo ships in the Sea of Azov to disrupt Russian logistics. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is trying to paint a rosy picture of the Russian economy at a global forum while flatly refusing new peace talks.