Russian news | Putin declares 2026 the Year of National Unity / Zelensky's peace plan a threat to Russian national security

Pars Today – Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree declaring 2026 as the Year of National Unity in Russia.

According to Pars Today, Putin announced the new year as the Year of National Unity during a session of the State Council at the Kremlin on Thursday. He stated that public awareness of the fact that preserving the shared homeland fundamentally benefits every citizen must be strengthened, as it can protect Russia against enemy efforts and secure a safe future for current and future generations.

Zelensky’s peace plan a threat to Russia’s national security

Dmitry Belyak, a member of the Russian State Duma, said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is unwilling to withdraw the factors that led to Russia’s special military operation. He emphasized that Zelensky’s peace plan contains threats to Russia’s national security. Belyak added that, for Russia, peace is not just about territory but also concerns the safety of the country and its citizens. He noted that Zelensky intends to maintain a large army in Ukraine, fully arm it, and call for NATO intervention in the event of a new conflict with Russia. Belyak warned that if Zelensky’s plan is accepted, Ukraine could provoke a new military confrontation along the border.

U.S. trade wars slow global GDP growth

In other news, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak highlighted that significant uncertainties in the global economy are primarily due to trade wars initiated by the U.S., which have slowed global GDP growth. Speaking to the Russia 24 TV network, Novak said that global economic growth this year will be lower than last year, as controversial U.S. trade measures negatively impact transport and logistics infrastructure, goods movement, costs, and the formation of new international alliances.

Russia’s Su-57 successfully evades enemy radar

Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Russian state defense technology company Rostec, announced that the Su-57 fighter jet has successfully evaded enemy radar and electronic warfare systems. Chemezov stated that the Su-57 has been deployed in Russia’s special military operation and that the Russian military is satisfied with its performance.

Successful satellite rocket launch

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that a Soyuz-2.1a satellite rocket was successfully launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region. The Soyuz-2.1a is a medium-class Russian launch vehicle designed to deploy various spacecraft, including satellites and military equipment, into space.