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Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicles have hit Russia's oil refinery in the city of Ufa, positioned approximately 1,400 km from the Ukrainian border, triggering explosions and a blaze, as reported by a insider in Ukraine's SBU.

This represents the latest intelligence deep strike in Bashkortostan in the last month. Such strikes demonstrate that there are no safe places in the distant backlines of the Russian state.

Zelenskyy Appeals to US President to Mediate Peace in the Conflict

Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged President Trump to broker peace in Ukraine over a call on Saturday.

"Provided that a hostilities can be stopped in one region, then surely further hostilities can be stopped as well, encompassing the Russian aggression," he said, commending the US President's "outstanding" Middle East ceasefire plan and requesting the American leader to pressure the Moscow into discussions.

Moscow's Assaults Claim Casualties in the Country

Strikes by Russia on Ukraine killed at least 5 individuals on Saturday and caused blackouts to areas of Ukraine's south Odesa oblast, as stated by authorities in Ukraine.

Two civilians lost their lives inside a church in the town when it was hit, as reported by regional officials.

In the Russian border region of Belgorod, a vehicle operator was fatally wounded by a Ukrainian strike, per local officials.

Energy Repair Operations in Kyiv

Work continued on Saturday to restore power in Kyiv, after assaults.

Energy had been returned to in excess of 800,000 citizens by Saturday and the major power firm stated the key operations to restore power was complete though some outages remained.

Anti-Aircraft Efforts and Drone Interceptions

Ukraine's defense forces downed or disrupted fifty-four of seventy-eight UAVs from Russia sent towards the country during the night, the aerial defense command reported on the weekend.

Russia's military authorities stated it shot down 42 Ukrainian drones over its own soil.

Cuba Refutes Claims of Deploying Soldiers to Ukraine

Havana on Saturday refuted US allegations it has sent troops to fight in the Ukraine war, while stating Cuban authorities "lack precise details about individuals" engaged "on their own" or "as part of the armed units of either party".

The government department in the capital announced 26 Cubans had been sentenced to jail sentences from 5 to 14 years for mercenary involvement since the autumn of 2023 when reports circulated of Cubans being dispatched to the frontlines in Ukraine.

Surrender Initiative Initiative Discloses Details on Cuban Enlistment

The program, a state program that urges enemy combatants to lay down arms, stated in spring: "We reliably know the personal data of one thousand and twenty-eight Cubans who enlisted with the Russian armed forces in 2023-2024."

The government in Havana said of Cuban nationals who might be engaged: "Undeniably that none of them has the support, commitment, or approval of the Cuban state for their involvement."

Kin of individuals who traveled to the Russian Federation in 2023 informed Agence France-Presse at the time that their loved ones had been misled into enlisting through promotions on digital networks.