Jay in Kyiv

Putin attempts to rescue his collapsing public opinion with a propaganda tour, but several humiliating events befall the increasingly unlucky dictator.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s logistics network may be targeting far more than supply chains. One of Russia’s richest oligarchs is now warning that the destruction of Wildberries logistics hubs could trigger a banking crisis, as the retail giant carries at least $17.8 billion in debt and is deeply intertwined with the country’s financial system. We examine how Ukraine’s strikes could be aimed at undermining the foundations of Russia’s wartime economy.

Also in today’s update:
Putin suffers a series of propaganda disasters as Russians openly ridicule several staged public appearances.
Oligarch Oleg Deripaska warns that a Wildberries bankruptcy could send shockwaves through Russia’s banking sector.
Putin begins selling off Russia’s diamond reserves after already liquidating large portions of the country’s gold reserves to finance the war.
Russia’s Navy Day celebrations turn into another propaganda embarrassment.
During Putin’s visit to an aircraft factory in Irkutsk, fuel prices on roadside gas station signs are reportedly replaced with unrealistically low figures before his motorcade passes.
Putin again attempts to encourage Poland, Hungary, and Romania to seize Ukrainian territory.
The Kremlin prepares for a new wave of mobilization, with reports of recruitment squads detaining men on Russian streets and forcing them into vans.
Russian-installed authorities continue abandoning occupied Crimea as the humanitarian situation deteriorates.
Iran threatens missile strikes against Ukraine and Eastern Europe after Ukrainian attacks on Iranian vessels transporting military cargo for Russia.
A look at everyday life in Russia far beyond Moscow, revealing the growing economic divide.
Russians begin constructing protective shelters and cafés around residential buildings in an attempt to shield themselves from Ukrainian drone attacks.