Newest Oil Plant Attack Reveals 'Zero Secure Locations in Russia's Distant Backlines'
Ukraine's UAVs have hit the Russian Bashneft refinery in Ufa, positioned some 1,400 km from the Ukrainian border, causing detonations and a fire, per a source in Ukraine's intelligence agency.
This marks the third SBU long-range attack in the region in the last month. Such strikes demonstrate that there are no safe places in the distant backlines of the Russian state.
Zelenskyy Calls On Trump to Mediate Truce in the Conflict
Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the US President to broker peace in Ukraine over a phone call on the weekend.
"If a conflict can be stopped in a single area, then undoubtedly further hostilities can be stopped as well, encompassing the conflict with Russia," Zelenskyy stated, commending the US President's "remarkable" Gaza ceasefire plan and requesting the American leader to influence the Russian government into talks.
Moscow's Strikes Take Victims in the Country
Strikes by Russia on Ukrainian territory resulted in the deaths of 5 individuals on Saturday and cut power to areas of Ukraine's south Odesa region, as stated by authorities in Ukraine.
Two civilians lost their lives in a religious building in Kostyantynivka when it was hit, according to regional officials.
In the Russian adjacent territory of the Belgorod region, a vehicle operator was killed by a Ukrainian strike, per local officials.
Energy Recovery Efforts in the Capital
Work proceeded on Saturday to repair energy infrastructure in Kyiv, after strikes by Moscow.
Power had been restored to more than 800,000 citizens by Saturday and the major power firm stated the main efforts to recover electricity was finished though partial blackouts persisted.
Air Defence Actions and Drone Downings
Ukraine's air defences intercepted or jammed 54 of 78 total enemy drones launched against Ukraine during the night, the aerial defense command said on Saturday.
The Russian defense officials stated it eliminated 42 enemy UAVs from Ukraine over its own soil.
Cuban Government Refutes Claims of Deploying Soldiers to Ukraine
The Cuban government on the weekend denied American assertions it has sent troops to engage in the hostilities, while affirming Cuban authorities "lack accurate details about Cuban nationals" participating "voluntarily" or "as part of the armed units of the conflicting parties".
The foreign ministry in Havana said 26 Cuban citizens had been sentenced to incarceration varying between five up to fourteen years for mercenary activity since last September when reports spread of Cuban nationals being dispatched to the frontlines in the conflict.
Surrender Initiative Project Reports Data on Cuban Recruitment
The surrender initiative, a state program that promotes enemy combatants to give up, said in May: "We reliably know the identities and information of over a thousand individuals who signed contracts with the Russian armed forces in the past two years."
The Cuban foreign ministry stated of those who might be participating: "There is no doubt that no individual possesses the backing, commitment, or consent of the government in Havana for their involvement."
Relatives of individuals who traveled to Russia in the year reported to Agence France-Presse at the time that their relatives had been deceptively recruited through promotions on digital networks.