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Ukraine's drones have targeted Russia's Bashneft refinery in the city of Ufa, positioned approximately 1,400 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, causing detonations and a fire, according to a informed individual in the Ukrainian intelligence agency.

This marks the third SBU deep strike in the region in the past month. Such strikes show that there are no secure zones in the distant backlines of the Russian state.

Zelenskyy Calls On US President to Broker Peace in the Conflict

The Ukrainian leader appealed to the US President to mediate a ceasefire in the Ukrainian conflict in a phone call on the weekend.

"Provided that a hostilities can be halted in a single area, then certainly other wars can be stopped as well, covering the Russian war," the President remarked, hailing the US President's "outstanding" Gaza peace initiative and calling for the US president to pressure the Russian government into talks.

Russian Assaults Claim Victims in the Country

Russian attacks on Ukraine resulted in the deaths of several civilians on Saturday and cut power to sections of Ukraine's southern Odesa oblast, per Ukrainian officials.

Two people died in a religious building in the town when it was targeted, per local authorities.

In the Russian adjacent territory of the Belgorod region, a lorry operator was fatally wounded by a attack from Ukraine, as stated by local officials.

Electricity Restoration Operations in Kyiv

Efforts continued on Saturday to restore power in Kyiv, after Russian attacks.

Power had been recovered to over 800,000 inhabitants by Saturday and the biggest private energy company stated the key operations to restore power was concluded though partial blackouts continued.

Anti-Aircraft Efforts and UAV Downings

Ukraine's anti-aircraft systems neutralized fifty-four of 78 total enemy drones sent targeting the country overnight, the aerial defense command said on Saturday.

The Russian defense officials claimed it eliminated 42 drones over Russian territory.

Cuba Refutes Allegations of Sending Soldiers to Ukraine

The Cuban government on Saturday refuted US assertions it has provided soldiers to engage in the conflict in Ukraine, while affirming officials in Havana "do not have exact details about Cuban nationals" engaged "independently" or "within the troops of the conflicting parties".

The government department in the capital stated 26 Cubans had been convicted to jail sentences from five up to fourteen years for mercenary activity since September 2023 when news circulated of Cuban nationals being sent to the battlefield in the conflict.

Surrender Initiative Initiative Reveals Data on Cuban Involvement

I Want to Live, a Ukrainian government initiative that promotes adversaries to lay down arms, said in spring: "We reliably know the personal data of one thousand and twenty-eight Cubans who enlisted with the Russian armed forces in the past two years."

The government in Havana stated of Cuban nationals who might be participating: "There is no doubt that none of them possesses the backing, allegiance, or authorization of the Cuban authorities for their actions."

Family members of Cubans who left for Russia in 2023 told Agence France-Presse at the time that their relatives had been deceptively recruited through advertisements on digital networks.