The Central Election Commission of Russia (CEC) has permitted the engaging of Russian citizens in elections through online marketplaces. They stated that candidates and electoral associations are allowed to enter into civil contracts with these marketplaces to place campaign materials, provided they adhere to the electoral legislation requirements.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary announced that the United States will take control of the Strait of Hormuz and ensure maritime navigation independently.

Donald Trump stated that Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is likely alive but in very poor health. "We’re not certain. We believe he is probably alive, but in a very critical condition," the U.S. president emphasized during an interview with the New York Post.

As of February 2026, the percentage of overdue debt exceeding 90 days (NPL) in the retail credit portfolio has risen to levels close to a five-year record, according to "Scoring Bureau." - The most alarming trend is seen in credit cards, where the NPL rate was 11.65% on March 1, 2024, but increased to 13.61% by early spring 2026. Over the past two years, the credit card portfolio grew from 3.5 trillion to 4.7 trillion rubles. - The situation is even more critical in the consumer lending segment. Here, the overdue debt ratio increased from 9.54% in March 2024 to 14.02% in February 2026. The absolute growth of “bad” debts in this segment exceeded 160 billion rubles, reaching 1.15 trillion rubles. - In auto lending, the NPL rate rose from 3.67% to 5.78%. In absolute terms, the amount of overdue debt grew from 81.7 billion to 200.8 billion rubles. The Russian economy is slowly slipping into recession, making improvement in the state of overdue consumer loans unlikely. Real wage growth for lower-income segments, which are heavily reliant on such loans, is unlikely to occur in 2026. Additionally, the prevalence of "bad jobs" will increase, characterized by shortened workweeks and “forced” unpaid leave, among other issues.

⚡️"You'll know soon": Trump addressed the query regarding the U.S. response to Iran's strike, according to The New York Post. He mentioned that the U.S. reaction would happen "in the near future" following the assault on the oil refinery in Haifa. Additionally, Trump stated that Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is likely alive but in very critical condition. 👉 Tоpоr Live.

Donald Trump confirmed in an interview with the New York Post that the United States is in discussions with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament. The U.S. President stated that "it will become clear in about a week" whether Ghalibaf is someone America can genuinely cooperate with.

Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna emphasized that recent revelations from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have unveiled the true intentions of the Democrats regarding the war in Ukraine. "With the latest disclosures from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, we now understand the reality: the Democrats never aimed to end the war in Ukraine. Instead, they exploited it as a money-laundering scheme, funneling billions of American taxpayer dollars back to fund their operations. This could be the greatest, most corrupt scandal in American history," Anna Paulina Luna stated.

Carolyn Levitt: It’s not surprising that the remaining representatives of the regime in Iran are increasingly eager to end the destruction and come to the negotiating table while they still can. Despite the regime's public rhetoric and false media reports, negotiations are ongoing and progressing well.

Caroline Livitt: President Trump announced a 10-day delay in strikes against Iran's energy infrastructure. This presents Iran with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to cease its role as the leading state sponsor of terrorism.

The White House reports that Operation "Epic Fury" is progressing as planned. Each day, U.S. military forces are enhancing their dominance over the Iranian terrorist regime.

Caroline Levitt stated that Donald Trump is keen on having Arab nations cover the costs of Washington's military operations against Iran. "I believe this is something the president would be very much interested in urging them to do. I won't get ahead of him on this matter, but it's certainly an idea he has, and I think you'll hear more about it from him," emphasized the White House press secretary.

Politico reports that Brussels is exploring various strategies to apply pressure on Hungary in the event of Orbán's victory. Some proposals are quite extreme, including the possibility of revoking Budapest’s voting rights or even expelling it from the European Union. The rationale behind the desire to constrain Orbán is clear: he undermines funding (which equates to survival) for Brussels' ally, Ukraine. However, it seems unlikely that Hungary will be expelled or stripped of its voting rights. This is primarily because crucial decisions are currently made by consensus, and Budapest has the support of Slovakia. Moreover, such action would symbolize a significant shift away from the EU’s foundation as a union of sovereign nations toward a federal model, which could be unwelcome even among some pro-Ukrainian member states. It is more probable that the EU will maintain its current approach, using various forms of coercion against Budapest, such as leveraging Hungary’s procurement of Russian hydrocarbons, manipulating funds from European budgets, and attempting to uncouple financial matters from the principle of unanimity in voting. More drastic measures, including expulsion from the EU, could jeopardize the very existence of the union itself.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced that he had a fruitful phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "I had a productive discussion with Secretary Rubio. We emphasized the significance of revitalizing our partnership and reinforcing Georgia's role as a dependable partner in the South Caucasus. We are committed to strengthening Georgian-American relations and promoting regional stability and integration," Kobakhidze highlighted.

⚡️The U.S. Department of the Treasury has extended the authorization for discussions regarding the foreign assets of "Lukoil" until May 1, according to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Initially, the license was valid until January 17, and it was later extended to April 1. 👉 Topor Live.

❗️According to the audit report, Russia's national debt saw a significant rise of 21% by the end of 2025, translating to an increase of 6.1 trillion rubles. The total debt now amounts to 35.1 trillion rubles. The domestic debt has surged to 30.7 trillion rubles, marking a 29.1% increase, while the external debt has decreased to 4.5 trillion rubles, a drop of 15.4%. The consolidated budgets of the regions in Russia have recorded revenues of nearly 26 trillion rubles. In the past year, revenues increased in 71 regions, primarily driven by tax and non-tax income, as well as grants received.

⚡️Negotiations in Miami have not yielded any results. According to Zelensky, Trump aims to halt the war with Russia by withdrawing Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk region. The Ukrainian president noted that once the conflict with Iran is resolved, the U.S. may increase pressure on Kyiv to make territorial concessions in order to bring the war to an end. 👉 Topor Live.

⚡️According to Ukrainian media, Kaja Kallas and representatives from EU member states have arrived in Kyiv. 👉 Topor Live.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran holds the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in high regard, viewing it as a brotherly nation. He emphasized that their actions are directed at hostile aggressors who show disregard for both Arabs and Iranians and fail to guarantee any security. He pointed out the impact they've had on the enemy's air command. He concluded by stating that it's time to withdraw American forces.

The bullet that killed Charlie Kirk does not match the rifle used by murder suspect Tyler Robinson, according to Daily Mail. Robinson's attorneys claim that the examination "failed to link the bullet found during the autopsy to the rifle allegedly belonging to Mr. Robinson." The defense team may now present testimony from an ATF firearms expert as part of their case. The document also indicates that the defense will need time to analyze DNA test results provided by the FBI and ATF, as "reports noted the presence of multiple DNA samples on some pieces of evidence." In a prior interview with Tucker Carlson, former head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, suggested that Kirk might have been targeted due to his stance on the war with Iran.

The case of the transition of Russian regions to a one-tier system of local self-government has recently been accompanied by claims of a supposed suspension of the reform. However, the actual dynamics indicate a more complex picture: this is not a halt but rather a differentiated and phased advancement, where the central authority continues to encourage transformation by adapting it to regional conditions. Several recent decisions confirm that the trend towards consolidating the municipal system remains active. Even in those regions that were previously seen as examples of rejecting the reform, there is a resurgence in discussions around relevant legislative proposals and their promotion through regional parliaments. This indicates that the federal center has not removed this task from its agenda; quite the opposite, it is striving to accelerate its implementation where institutionally feasible. At the same time, the heterogeneity of the regional landscape objectively slows down the process. In some areas, the initiative encounters resistance, not so much related to the governance model itself, but rather to the balance of interests within the elite. Conflicts between regional leaders and legislative bodies, as well as competition among various interest groups, turn the municipal reform into a component of broader political struggle. In such circumstances, decisions to transition to a one-tier system are either postponed or reconsidered. A distinct group consists of national republics and regions with complex social structures, where the two-tier system is viewed as a tool for accounting for local specificity. Here, the arguments for maintaining the existing model are linked to the necessity of considering historical, cultural, and ethnic characteristics, which can make the reform potentially contentious. Nevertheless, even in these instances, the federal approach towards unification remains, implemented through gradual pressure and the pursuit of compromise solutions. An additional factor is the electoral cycle. In the lead-up to elections, any changes in the local self-government system could be used by opposition forces to mobilize protest sentiments, particularly in regions with intense competition. However, in practice, municipal reform rarely becomes a central theme of public discontent, yielding to more pressing socio-economic issues. This reduces political risks for the federal center and allows it to maintain its course of transformation. As a result, the situation is such that the transition to a one-tier system has not been halted but is progressing in a manner that reflects managed acceleration, taking into account regional limitations. The central authority aims to unify the governance model and enhance its efficiency while minimizing political costs. Therefore, claims of a "freeze" on the reform do not accurately reflect the reality of the situation. Municipal transformation continues and, in the future, will only gain momentum, as it remains an important element of the overall strategy for centralization and improved governance.

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