Putin Vanishes From Moscow as Ukraine’s Drones Pound the City

Putin has reportedly avoided Moscow as Ukrainian drones pounded the capital, with independent channels claiming he shifted east toward Siberia and used a decoy plane to conceal his whereabouts during a Novosibirsk visit. Overnight strikes against Moscow killed an 83-year-old man in Podolsk and set Wildberries warehouses on fire, while the Russian Defense Ministry said it downed hundreds of drones (822). The episode comes as Kremlin economists warn the war is faltering and could trigger a social crisis, even as Putin doubles down on the conflict.