SCO Summit in Bishkek: Putin and Xi are set to meet alongside Modi, Iran’s president and others at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s 25th anniversary summit, with regional security, trade and connectivity on the agenda and Ukraine plus West Asia expected to weigh heavily. Ukraine Drone War: Russia’s strikes are intensifying with reports of nearly 2,000 drones in a week and about 800 jet-powered launches, while Kyiv says it is struggling to intercept the faster aircraft and keeps facing near-constant alerts. Energy Retaliation: Moscow says it is preparing “massive strikes” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in response to Kyiv attacks on civilian targets, as the war grinds into a fifth year. Niger Mutiny and Russia’s Role: A coup attempt in Niamey was contained, with Russia’s Africa Corps reportedly helping government forces—highlighting how Moscow’s footprint in the Sahel is being tested from inside. Fuel and Trade Pressure: Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries are pushing Russia to import gasoline, with India emerging as a key supplier; Russia also signals it may resume flights to Cuba once aviation fuel supplies stabilize. Kremlin on a Putin-Trump-Zelensky Meeting: Peskov says any three-way summit would only be to formalize agreements already reached, not to negotiate details. Sanctions and Finance: The EU prepares a new sanctions package targeting 1,600 Russian entities, while US lawmakers push tougher Russia energy and financial curbs.