Vladimir Putin went live from the Kremlin to hear directly from assault troops on the front lines near Seversk, congratulating them on what he framed as a major city “liberation.” Through an audio connection rife with electronic warfare noise, Russian servicemen reported taking a settlement, an army factory, and a railway station with what they claimed were “minimal losses” using “deception” against 28 enemy assault groups. Putin hailed the motorized rifle units as the “backbone” of Russian power and vowed the momentum would continue across the entire front—a stark contrast to recent Ukrainian claims of Russian attrition.