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Ukrainian drones have targeted Russia's Bashneft refinery in the city of Ufa, situated some 1,400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, resulting in explosions and a blaze, according to a source in the Ukrainian SBU.

This marks the third Ukrainian security service far-reaching assault in the region in the recent weeks. Such operations illustrate that there are no safe places in the far hinterland of the Russian state.

Zelenskyy Appeals to US President to Broker Ceasefire in the Conflict

The Ukrainian leader called on President Trump to facilitate a truce in Ukraine over a call on Saturday.

"Provided that a war can be stopped in one region, then certainly further hostilities can be stopped as well, encompassing the conflict with Russia," Zelenskyy stated, hailing the US President's "outstanding" Gaza peace initiative and calling for the American leader to influence the Kremlin into talks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Victims in Ukraine

Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory killed at least five people on the weekend and caused blackouts to sections of the southern Odesa area, as stated by Ukrainian officials.

Two people lost their lives inside a religious building in Kostyantynivka when it was targeted, per local authorities.

In the Russian adjacent territory of the Belgorod region, a truck driver was killed by a attack from Ukraine, according to municipal sources.

Energy Restoration Work in the Capital

Efforts continued on Saturday to repair energy infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital, after Russian attacks.

Energy had been returned to over 800,000 residents by Saturday and the biggest utility provider stated the primary work to repair the grid was complete though some outages remained.

Anti-Aircraft Actions and Drone Jamming

Ukraine's defense forces intercepted or jammed fifty-four of 78 total enemy drones deployed towards Ukraine in the dark hours, the aerial defense command reported on Saturday.

Russia's defense officials said it eliminated 42 enemy drones over the country's airspace.

Cuba Rejects Claims of Deploying Soldiers to the War

Havana on Saturday rejected American assertions it has deployed soldiers to participate in the Ukraine war, while affirming Cuban authorities "are without precise data about Cuban nationals" involved "independently" or "within the troops of the conflicting parties".

The ministry in the capital said twenty-six Cuban citizens had been convicted to jail sentences ranging from five up to fourteen years for mercenary activity since the autumn of 2023 when information spread of Cuban nationals being sent to the battlefield in Ukraine.

Surrender Initiative Initiative Discloses Information on Cuban National Involvement

I Want to Live, a official Kyiv program that encourages adversaries to give up, reported in spring: "We have confirmed the personal data of one thousand and twenty-eight Cuban nationals who entered into agreements with the Russian military in the past two years."

The Cuban authorities commented of Cuban nationals who might be participating: "It is irrefutable that none of them has the support, commitment, or consent of the Cuban authorities for their actions."

Relatives of individuals who left for Russia in the year told Agence France-Presse at the time that their relatives had been deceptively recruited through ads on social media.