What happened on the day of June 5th. The main thing

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2026). Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave an interview at the Izvestia studio as part of SPIEF 2026. The Russian Armed Forces continued to conduct a special military operation in Ukraine. All the details and other main events of the day are in the Izvestia digest.

Putin spoke at SPIEF 2026

The President of Russia spoke at the SPIEF 2026 plenary session. Putin called the aggressive policy of the European bureaucracy short-sighted and drew attention to the growing tension in certain regions of the world, primarily in the Middle East due to the war in Iran. The Head of State also pointed out that the world is currently undergoing a major transformation. According to the president, despite the ongoing pressure from outside, Russia has new partnerships, financial and technological solutions. In addition, the head of state stressed that almost half of the growth in global gross domestic product (GDP) is provided by the BRICS countries.

In addition, the Russian president touched upon the topics of digitalization. In his opinion, artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous systems and platform solutions can change the lives of Russian citizens. He stressed that Russia has good prospects in the development of artificial intelligence. The Head of State noted that the West has historically been viewed as a source of technological development, but now the situation with technological leadership in the world is changing. Russia is one of the global leaders in e-commerce, the president added.

Putin commented on Zelensky's open letter

Putin commented on an open letter from Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky. The Head of State noted that the President of Ukraine needs to stop usurping power and hold elections in the country. The Russian leader also said that Zelensky had asked for a meeting with Putin through a Russian businessman. Putin stressed that he had never refused a meeting, but this requires agreements for a long-term historical perspective.

In addition, Putin responded to the attack of the Ukrainian president about his age, noting that it is important to remain capable. At the same time, the head of state stressed that there are other politicians older than him who demonstrate sufficient energy in the performance of their duties. The Russian president also noted that so far he sees no point in meeting with Zelensky and pointed out rudeness in his letter.

Peskov gave an interview to Izvestia as part of SPIEF 2026

Peskov visited the Izvestia studio as part of SPIEF 2026. He noted that the White House's position on Ukraine is both consistent and contradictory. The press secretary of the Russian president added that the Russian Federation expects that the pause in the negotiation process on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict will be interrupted and contacts between the parties will resume. Speaking about the economy, Peskov drew attention to the interest of business in the West for SPIEF 2026. He also recalled that after the sanctions were imposed, some large Western companies left the Russian market — some, in his opinion, did it in a civilized manner, others did not.

The Kremlin's official representative also touched upon the situation with Armenia. Thus, according to him, Yerevan de facto no longer participates in the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Peskov expressed confidence that focusing on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is a more significant and profitable path for Armenia. In addition, the press secretary of the Russian president pointed out that the Armenian leadership is artificially trying to put the country at a crossroads, offering a choice between integration with Europe and maintaining membership in the EAEU.

Completion of the third day of the SPIEF

The third day of SPIEF 2026 has come to an end in St. Petersburg, the central event of which was the plenary session, which lasted 3.5 hours. The forum was attended by the father of entrepreneur Elon Musk, Errol Musk, who emphasized that people in Russia are happy, unlike the rest of the world. Former President of the Republic Milorad Dodik, in turn, also spoke at the SPIEF and pointed out that students from Republika Srpska are actively interested in studying in Russia, and their interest is constantly growing, and Serbian director Emir Kusturica stressed that the evolution of European culture is impossible without Russia, and the West will never be able to abolish Russian culture. Lebanese Ambassador to Russia Bashir Shawki Saleh Azzam also noted that over the years the SPIEF has consolidated its status as one of the world's leading business venues.

The forum was also attended by representatives of Germany. Alternative for Germany (AfD) MP Steffen Cotre said that German enterprises would willingly restore commercial ties with Russia, but this is hampered by continued interference from the United States. Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said that the rhetoric of the European authorities about the need to prepare for a "war with Russia" is aimed at distracting citizens from economic problems. According to Kneissl, any state needs a strong army in case of a variety of situations, including natural disasters. However, the motivation broadcast in the EU countries "raises questions," she stressed.

Russia and Ukraine held a prisoner exchange

On that day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russia and Ukraine had conducted a prisoner exchange under the 185-for-185 formula. The released fighters arrived on the territory of Belarus. They were met by the Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia, Yana Lantratova. Humanitarian mediation efforts during the exchange were provided by the UAEC. Later, a plane carrying Russian servicemen who returned as part of the exchange landed in the Moscow region.

The Russian Army continued conducting a special operation

The Russian military continued to conduct a special operation in Ukraine. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, more than 3,000 drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were shot down by the Russian air defense forces in a week. According to the ministry, 47 guided aerial bombs and 16 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers were also hit. In addition, the Russian army has carried out massive and six group strikes against military targets in Ukraine over the past week.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces continued to attack the regions of Russia

The Ukrainian army continued to attack Russian regions. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the elimination of 12 Ukrainian Armed Forces drones on approach to the capital. Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev, in turn, said that three engineers were injured in the Ukrainian Armed Forces strike on the Zaporizhia NPP, two of whom are in serious condition. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported earlier in the day that five Azerbaijani sailors were killed in an attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov. It is specified that in addition to the dead, three Azerbaijani citizens were injured and hospitalized. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that this attack once again demonstrated the terrorist nature of the Ukrainian authorities.