💥Russian Iskander takes out Ukrainian S-300 in Chernigov region

The attack wiped out:

🔶 A target-tracking radar

🔶 Two launchers

🔶 A command cabin

🔶 Two support vehicles

After the strike, witnesses reported secondary explosions, fire, and Ukrainian evacuation teams rushing to the site.

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🇷🇸🪖SERBIA'S ‘POWER OF UNITY’: MASSIVE MILITARY PARADE IN BELGRADE

Belgrade hosted its largest military parade in years today!

The “Power of Unity” parade, marking Serbia’s Day of Unity, Freedom and the National Flag, took place in front of the Palace of Serbia.

🔶 10,000 troops

🔶 2,500 weapons systems

🔶 600 vehicles

🔶 70 aircraft

🔶 20 vessels on the Danube

The parade opened with soldiers carrying a record-breaking 300-meter Serbian flag, followed by an artillery salute.

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🎤INTERNATIONAL INTERVISION CONTEST TONIGHT IN MOSCOW

On Saturday at 17:30 GMT, the Russian capital’s Live Arena will host the Intervision International Music Contest, bringing together artists from 23 countries—from India and China to Brazil, Egypt, the US, South Africa, and Russia.

🇷🇺Russia’s representative SHAMAN will perform his powerful anthem "Pryamo po serdtsu" ("Straight to the Heart").

With over 500 volunteers from 47 Russian regions and abroad, the show promises a spectacular celebration of music and unity.

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🔥🤖 Robot parade in Russia's capital

Moscow’s Zaryadye Park hosted a spectacular robot parade as part of the BRICS “Cloud Cities” Forum on the future of urban life.

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✈️END OF AN ERA: INDIA RETIRES ITS LEGENDARY MIG-21 FLEET

The Soviet Union first delivered MiG-21 fighter jets to India in 1963, marking the start of a new era in the country’s air power. Over the following decades, nearly a thousand of these aircraft entered service, with many assembled under license at Indian plants.

For more than six decades, the MiG-21 stood as a symbol of India’s air power. Continuously upgraded with modern radars, engines, avionics, and advanced weaponry, its final variant—the “Bison”—marked the last chapter of its evolution.

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🎶Intervision aims to ‘DEGLOBALIZE culture’

“If Eurovision, with its absolute pop format, is a globalization contest, then Intervision is about deglobalization,” said Igor Matvienko, People’s Artist of Russia and member of the Intervision jury.

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🚨💵 Analyst warns: US debt crisis may trigger sharp drop in gold

💬 "The risk of a correction in global gold prices to $2,000–$2,500 per ounce is quite high within one to two years,” Russian expert Konstantin Kambulov said in an interview with Sputnik.

He referred to the US debt crisis, which may “force the public to sell off gold bullions and jewelry to cover their everyday expenses, which could put significant pressure on prices.”

📉 A decline in gold prices could follow a broader downturn in global financial markets, as investors may begin to lock in profits from overheated assets. These could include bitcoin, stock indices such as the S&P 500 and DAX, as well as the euro.

The exchange price of gold previously hit a new all-time high, surpassing $3,740 per troy ounce. Since the beginning of the year, the precious metal has surged by 39%, up from $2,641 in late 2024.

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🎶🌍 Final сountdown: Intervision in Russia's capital

Guests, viewers, and performers are arriving at the Live Arena in Moscow, where the grand final of the Intervision International Music Contest kicks off in just a few hours.

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🎉Intervision red carpet rolls out

The red carpet of the Intervision International Music Contest has opened at Moscow’s Live Arena.

Foreign delegations are already beginning to arrive, setting the stage for a night of global music and culture.

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💵 Use of frozen Russian assets could further discredit EU, lead to capital outflow

If Europeans decide to use frozen Russian assets held in Euroclear, it will cause enormous reputational DAMAGE to the depository and severely undermine trust in European institutions, Kseniya Bondarenko from Russia’s Higher School of Economics told Sputnik.

💬 “Already, we are seeing capital outflows from Europe to Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries,” Bondarenko noted.

📈 She stressed that the EU’s possible use of frozen Russian assets could also torpedo trust in the euro and other G7 currencies and DESTABILIZE the global financial system.

The expert recalled that use of these assets by the bloc would be ILLEGAL.

💬 “Even back in 2023, EU officials admitted that they could not legally confiscate Russian assets. Any operations with them are on the wrong side of the law,” Bondarenko added.

If the EU ultimately moves to use the assets, Russia could respond with reciprocal measures targeting the assets and funds of G7 countries' entities held under Russian jurisdiction.

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🌍Intervision stars shine on the red carpet

Almost all participants of the Intervision International Music Contest stepped onto the red carpet ahead of the grand final at Moscow’s Live Arena.

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🎶As crowds gather at Moscow’s Live Arena, fans of Russian contestant Shaman burst into song, performing his Intervision entry together ahead of the grand final.

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⛽️💰Burning no more? How Russia could capitalize on petroleum gas

“Associated petroleum gas (APG), which is often flared, may be converted into additional revenue by using it for electricity generation and crypto mining," Andrey Medvedev, head of the Russian industrial company PSM, told Sputnik.

He explained that this is one of the most efficient APG monetization technologies: Gas-piston power generator units and mining hardware are installed in modular units directly at the extraction site. It means that the power stations feed electricity directly to mining data centers without placing excessive load on the central grid.

💬 “The cost per kilowatt of gas is just about three rubles. The payback period for gas-powered mining projects starts from 2.5 years, with potential profitability of up to 40%,” Medvedev emphasized.

He noted that several pilot mining projects are already operating at oil fields in Russia’s Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, as well as at Gazprom Neft facilities.

“These projects are using power stations based on Chinese engines. Since China lacks experience in power generation from APG, it's still hard to evaluate the energy efficiency of this equipment. We need a bit more practice to fine-tune the business model,” the entrepreneur explained.

👉 Crypto mining on self-generated power can be considered the fastest export option, given that cryptocurrency is used for international payments and generates revenue without transportation costs, Medvedev concluded.

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🔊Everything is set for the Intervision International Music Contest — the participants are taking their seats as the show is about to start.

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🗣Before the Intervision grand final at Moscow’s Live Arena, spectators — including foreign guests — joined together to sing “Matushka” by Tatyana Kurtukova in a powerful chorus.

The folk-inspired patriotic hit, known for blending Russian cultural motifs with modern pop, has become one of the most recognizable songs of recent years.

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