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Ukrainian drones have struck Russia's Bashneft refinery in the city of Ufa, located approximately 1,400 kilometres from Ukraine, causing blasts and a blaze, per a source in the Ukrainian intelligence agency.

This constitutes the latest Ukrainian security service far-reaching assault in the region in the recent weeks. These operations demonstrate that there are no safe places in the far hinterland of the Russia.

Zelenskyy Calls On US President to Mediate Truce in the Conflict

The Ukrainian leader appealed to the US President to broker peace in the Ukrainian conflict over a call on Saturday.

"If a war can be stopped in one region, then undoubtedly other wars can be ended as well, encompassing the Russian war," he said, hailing the US President's "exceptional" Middle East truce proposal and requesting the American leader to compel the Russian government into negotiations.

Russian Strikes Take Lives in Ukraine

Moscow's assaults on Ukraine resulted in the deaths of 5 individuals on Saturday and disrupted electricity to sections of Ukraine's southern Odesa region, as stated by authorities in Ukraine.

Two people were killed inside a religious building in the town when it was targeted, according to municipal sources.

In the Russian frontier area of the Belgorod region, a lorry operator was lost his life by a Ukrainian strike, per municipal sources.

Power Repair Efforts in Kyiv

Operations continued on the weekend to recover electricity in Kyiv, after assaults.

Energy had been returned to more than 800,000 citizens by the weekend and the major utility provider stated the key operations to restore power was complete though some outages continued.

Air Defence Operations and Drone Jamming

The Ukrainian anti-aircraft systems downed or disrupted 54 out of seventy-eight Russian drones sent towards the country during the night, the aerial defense command said on the weekend.

The Russian defense officials said it intercepted 42 enemy drones over its own soil.

Cuban Government Rejects Allegations of Sending Troops to the War

Havana on Saturday rejected US assertions it has sent soldiers to engage in the hostilities, while declaring the government "are without precise information about Cuban nationals" involved "on their own" or "within the troops of either party".

The foreign ministry in the capital announced twenty-six Cuban citizens had been convicted to jail sentences ranging from 5 to 14 years for mercenary activity since September 2023 when reports emerged of Cubans being deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine.

I Want to Live Initiative Reveals Information on Cuban Enlistment

The surrender initiative, a Ukrainian government initiative that encourages enemy combatants to surrender, stated in May: "We have confirmed the personal data of over a thousand Cubans who enlisted with the Russian armed forces in 2023-2024."

The Cuban foreign ministry commented of Cuban nationals who might be participating: "It is irrefutable that none of them have the support, commitment, or approval of the Cuban authorities for their activities."

Kin of Cubans who left for Russia in 2023 told news outlets at the time that their family members had been deceptively recruited through ads on online platforms.