Newest Refinery Attack Demonstrates 'Absolutely No Protected Areas in Russia's Distant Backlines'

Ukrainian UAVs have targeted Russia's oil refinery in the city of Ufa, situated some 1,400 km from Ukraine, causing blasts and a fire, according to a source in Ukraine's SBU.

This represents the 3rd intelligence deep strike in Bashkortostan in the last month. Such attacks show that there are no protected areas in the far hinterland of the Russian Federation.

Zelenskyy Urges Trump to Mediate Ceasefire in the Conflict

The Ukrainian leader urged Donald Trump to facilitate a truce in the Ukrainian conflict over a telephone conversation on Saturday.

"When a war can be halted in one region, then surely further hostilities can be halted as well, covering the Russian aggression," the President stated, praising the US President's "remarkable" Gaza ceasefire plan and urging the American leader to influence the Moscow into discussions.

Moscow's Strikes Take Lives in the Country

Moscow's assaults on Ukrainian territory claimed the lives of five people on Saturday and cut power to parts of the southern Odesa region, according to authorities in Ukraine.

A pair of individuals died within a religious building in the town when it was struck, per municipal sources.

In the Russian adjacent territory of the Belgorod region, a vehicle operator was killed by a drone assault, as stated by municipal sources.

Electricity Recovery Work in the Capital

Operations continued on the weekend to restore power in the Ukrainian capital, after assaults.

Energy had been returned to over 800,000 residents by Saturday and the major utility provider stated the key efforts to restore power was finished though certain disruptions persisted.

Anti-Aircraft Efforts and UAV Jamming

The Ukrainian defense forces neutralized 54 of 78 enemy drones launched against the country during the night, the military reported on Saturday.

The Russian defense officials stated it shot down forty-two Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.

Cuban Government Refutes Accusations of Providing Soldiers to the War

Cuba on Saturday denied US claims it has deployed military personnel to participate in the hostilities, while stating officials in Havana "lack precise data about citizens of Cuba" engaged "on their own" or "within the troops of both sides".

The government department in the capital said 26 Cubans had been given prison terms to jail sentences ranging from five to 14 years for participating as mercenaries since September 2023 when reports spread of Cubans being dispatched to the front in the conflict.

I Want to Live Initiative Reports Information on Cuban National Recruitment

The program, a state program that urges enemy combatants to surrender, stated in May: "We reliably know the identities and information of 1,028 Cuban nationals who entered into agreements with the Moscow's troops in 2023-2024."

The Cuban authorities said of Cubans who might be engaged: "Undeniably that none of them possesses the encouragement, allegiance, or authorization of the Cuban authorities for their actions."

Kin of Cubans who traveled to the Russian Federation in 2023 reported to Agence France-Presse at the time that their family members had been deceptively recruited through promotions on digital networks.