MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/. The US is awaiting Iran’s response to a proposal that could pave the way for direct talks and a possible settlement of the conflict; Russia is preparing for the possibility of continued Ukrainian long-range drone attacks; and Moscow says it will defend its interests and freedom of navigation in the Arctic as Western countries expand their military presence in the region. These stories topped Friday’snewspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: US awaits Tehran’s reply to proposal aimed at ending conflict
The United States and Iran are moving closer toward what some describe as a "historic deal." Washington is now awaiting Tehran’s response to a concrete proposal aimed at ending the conflict.
However, the authorities of the Islamic Republic are in no hurry, describing the US initiatives as "far from reality."Efforts to find compromises are also being complicated by renewed Israeli strikes on Lebanon following the ceasefire reached in early April. Nevertheless, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe the sides still have a chance to reach temporary agreements.
There are now signs of a possible settlement in the conflict between the United States and Iran. At the very least, the American media has been filled with increasingly optimistic insider reports. CNN claims that Tehran is expected to deliver its response on May 7, through intermediaries, to Washington’s proposal for ending the war. The discussions may involve the signing of a symbolic one-page memorandum that would pave the way for 30 days of direct talksbetween Washington and Tehran.
Efforts to achieve a US-Iranian compromise have recently become more difficult due to the renewed escalation on the "Lebanese front." Political analyst Adwan Hisham warned in this regard that Israel may be deliberately provoking localized escalation in order to weaken the convergence of negotiating positions between Tehran and Washington, thereby advancing its own regional interests.
Yet despite the shifting negotiating environment, the United States and Iran are still capable of reaching agreements. Some form of "symbolic memorandum" could indeed be signed, particularly if the wording used in it remains as vague and non-specific as possible, the newspaper writes.
"This would help both Iran and the United States save face and declare victory while simultaneously refuting the other side’s claims. The contradictory signals should instead be viewed as a diplomatic game designed alternately to create tension and then ease it during the course of negotiations," Alexey Yurk, research fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations told the newspaper.
In addition, the domestic political factor should also be taken into account. Against the backdrop of war fatigue, each side is seeking to demonstrate readiness for fair negotiations while at the same time maintaining a tough position, the expert concluded.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russia prepares for continued UAV attacks amid ceasefire uncertainty
Ukrainian media outlets reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will not observe the ceasefire regime declared by Russia for May 8-9, although no official statement to that effect has yet been issued by Kiev. Russian military officials are preparing for the worst-case scenario and, as previously stated in Moscow, if Ukrainian attacks continue during the Victory Day celebrations, retaliatory strikes could target central Kiev and "decision-making centers." Experts interviewed by Nezavisimaya Gazeta believe Ukraine has significantly expanded production of long-range drones capable of striking targets more than 1,000 km away, increasing the likelihood of continued UAV attacks in the coming days.
On May 7, Vladimir Zelensky stated that Russia had not responded to the ceasefire regime announced by Kiev. However, he did not clarify whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces would accept Russia’s proposal and halt hostilities on May 8-9.
Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were detected in the Baltic region: drones flying toward St. Petersburg overnightentered Latvia’s airspace. In the Rezekne municipality in eastern Latvia, one UAV crashed directly onto an oil depot.
"Long-range An-196 Lyuty drones, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been using for more than three years, are considered among the most effective in Ukraine," military expert and retired Colonel Vladimir Popov told Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
"Judging by the statistics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ long-range strikes, Ukraine has increased production of these and other UAVs capable of flying distances exceeding 1,000 km," the expert said.
According to official statements, Moscow does not rule out the continuation of long-range Ukrainian strikes in the coming days. According to Russian regional media reports, Victory Day parades have been canceled in 15 federal subjects, primarily in Central Russia, for security reasons.
Izvestia: Russia vows to protect freedom of navigation in Arctic amid Western military buildup
Russia will take diplomatic and military-political measures to protect its interests in the Arctic, including those related to freedom of navigation, Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov told Izvestia. Earlier, Ottawa announced plans to allocate $25 bln for modernizing and building new military bases in the country’s north. At the same time, the United Kingdom is creating a naval alliance of Northern European countries aimed at preparing for a conflict with Russia by 2029. These measures may be linked to Western plans to paralyze Russia’s maritime trade. According to experts, the Russian Navy is capable of protecting logistics routes in the Arctic if necessary.
"While advocating for preserving the region as a zone of peace, sustainable development, and cooperation, we will at the same time continue to reliably ensure our national interests and security interests, including the protection of freedom of navigation. And we will take all necessary measures to this end, both diplomatic and military-political," Oleg Stepanov said.
According to Stepanov, the trend toward militarization of the Arctic by Western countries is clear and undermines the balance of stability that has traditionally existed in the region. "For decades, the Arctic remained a territory of cooperation and predictability," the diplomat added. "If the Western members of the still-existing Arctic Council choose the path of escalating tensions, they will primarily undermine their own security," he said.
Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics at Moscow State Pedagogical University, explained to Izvestia that Russia is capable of providing military escort for civilian vessels in the Arctic if necessary. Russia possesses the world’s largest icebreaker fleet and continues to expand it.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: India and Pakistan exchange new threats one year after Kashmir conflict amid persisting tensions
A year has passed since the outbreak of clashes between India and Pakistan. The brief war, which began on May 7, 2025, lasted four days and ended with a ceasefire agreement. Ahead of the anniversary of those events, New Delhi and Islamabad exchanged belligerent statements indicating that their mutual grievances remain unresolved and that the conflict could therefore resume. Experts interviewed by Nezavisimaya Gazeta believe the unresolved Kashmir dispute and both sides’ growing focus on drone warfare indeed create conditions for renewed confrontation between India and Pakistan.
The ceasefire was established on May 10 last year. However, even regarding how it came about, Pakistan and India continue to present different versions. Islamabad claims that none other than US President Donald Trump acted as mediator. India has categorically rejected the Pakistani account of the ceasefire agreement. According to New Delhi, the truce resulted from direct talks between the commanders of the two armies.
Speaking to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Alexey Kupriyanov, head of the Indo-Pacific Region Center at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said, "During that operation, the Indians set the goal of striking a group of designated targets. They completed this task, which, according to the Indian side, served as retaliation for the terrorist attack. But since then, fundamentally nothing has changed in relations between the two states. Since the issue of Kashmir’s status remains unresolved, each side is analyzing the results of the battle and preparing for a new one involving widespread use of drones."
Recalling last year’s events, retired Indian Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor said that Russian-made S-400 air defense missile systems played a major role in the conflict with Pakistan. According to Kupriyanov, the Russian S-400 systems indeed played an important role because at that time neither India nor Pakistan possessed sufficient air defense systems against drones or experience in countering their mass use.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Russia’s budget posts additional oil and gas revenues in April amid rising crude prices
Russia’s federal budget began receiving additional oil and gas revenues in April. Oil and gas revenues rose by nearly 39% compared with March, reaching 855.6 bln rubles ($11.44 bln). However, compared with April of last year, revenues declined by 21%. For the first time this year, the budget also received additional oil and gas revenues above the planned level -- 21 bln rubles ($281 mln), according to data provided by the Finance Ministry. Experts polled by Rossiyskaya Gazeta believe higher oil prices and stronger second-quarter corporate performance could support further growth in Russia’s oil and gas revenues, although export restrictions, UAV attacks on infrastructure, subsidies, and weaker additional income tax inflows may limit this growth.
Further revenue growth is expected in May and June. Speaking to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Konstantin Simonov, head of the National Energy Security Fund, noted that in May, revenues from the sector would already surpass the results recorded in May 2025, while second-quarter indicators overall would exceed last year’s results for the same period
The reasons behind last month’s revenue growth are clear. Up to 90% of oil and gas revenues are generated by oil production. The main sectoral mineral extraction tax is paid monthly based on production volumes. In March, oil prices rose to $77 per barrel, ensuring increased budget revenues in April. Following April, the price of Urals crude climbed even higher, reaching $94.87 per barrel, which means revenues are expected to grow further in May.
Simonov believes that companies’ financial results for the second quarter of this year should be significantly stronger than in the first quarter, which would in turn lead to a substantial increase in revenues from the additional income tax. He also considers weak additional income tax inflows in the first quarter to have been the main reason why additional oil and gas revenues in April remained relatively modest.
Director General of DA-Consulting Daniil Tyun is more cautious in his forecasts. He believes oil and gas revenues in May will not rise compared with April, but instead fall to a range of 760-820 bln rubles ($10.16-11 bln). In addition, physical restrictions on oil exports, UAV strikes on port infrastructure and refineries, as well as subsidies for oil companies, are offsetting part of the gains from high oil prices, the expert explained.
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