Newest Oil Plant Attack Shows 'Zero Protected Places in the Russian Far Hinterland'
Ukrainian drones have targeted the Russian Bashneft refinery in the city of Ufa, situated around 1,400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, resulting in explosions and a inferno, per a source in the Ukrainian intelligence agency.
This constitutes the third intelligence long-range attack in the region in the last month. These operations illustrate that there are no secure zones in the distant backlines of the Russia.
Ukrainian President Appeals to Trump to Mediate Ceasefire in Ukraine
The Ukrainian leader called on Donald Trump to facilitate a truce in Ukraine over a phone call on Saturday.
"Provided that a hostilities can be ended in one region, then undoubtedly further hostilities can be stopped as well, covering the conflict with Russia," he stated, hailing the US President's "remarkable" Middle East ceasefire plan and requesting the President to influence the Kremlin into discussions.
Russian Strikes Take Victims in the Country
Russian attacks on Ukraine claimed the lives of several civilians on Saturday and disrupted electricity to parts of Ukraine's south Odesa region, according to local sources.
Two people died inside a place of worship in Kostyantynivka when it was hit, per municipal sources.
In the Russian frontier area of Belgorod, a lorry operator was lost his life by a attack from Ukraine, according to regional authorities.
Power Restoration Efforts in the Capital
Operations carried on on Saturday to repair energy infrastructure in Kyiv, after assaults.
Energy had been restored to over 800,000 inhabitants by the weekend and the biggest utility provider announced the main work to restore power was concluded though partial blackouts continued.
Anti-Aircraft Actions and UAV Jamming
The Ukrainian anti-aircraft systems intercepted or jammed 54 out of 78 total Russian drones launched towards Ukraine in the dark hours, the military announced on the weekend.
The Russian defense officials stated it shot down 42 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.
Cuba Rejects Accusations of Sending Troops to the War
Havana on Saturday denied US claims it has sent military personnel to engage in the hostilities, while stating Cuban authorities "do not have exact details about citizens of Cuba" involved "voluntarily" or "in the military forces of either party".
The foreign ministry in Havana stated 26 nationals had been convicted to jail sentences ranging from five to 14 years for mercenary activity since September 2023 when reports spread of individuals being dispatched to the battlefield in Ukraine.
Surrender Initiative Initiative Discloses Details on Cuban Enlistment
The surrender initiative, a Ukrainian government initiative that urges opposing fighters to give up, said in May: "Our information indicates the personal data of 1,028 Cubans who signed contracts with the Russian military in recently."
The government in Havana commented of Cuban nationals who might be engaged: "It is irrefutable that no individual has the encouragement, commitment, or approval of the Cuban state for their activities."
Relatives of Cubans who traveled to the Russian Federation in 2023 informed international media at the time that their relatives had been misled into enlisting through advertisements on social media.