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Ukrainian drones have hit the Russian Bashneft refinery in Ufa, situated approximately 1,400 kilometers from Ukraine, resulting in explosions and a blaze, according to a source in the Ukrainian Security Service.

This marks the latest Ukrainian security service long-range attack in Bashkortostan in the recent weeks. Such operations show that there are no secure zones in the far hinterland of the Russia.

Ukrainian President Calls On US President to Mediate Truce in the Conflict

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

"Provided that a hostilities can be halted in a single area, then certainly further hostilities can be stopped as well, covering the Russian aggression," he said, hailing Trump's "remarkable" Middle East ceasefire plan and calling for the American leader to influence the Kremlin into discussions.

Moscow's Attacks Take Victims in Ukraine

Strikes by Russia on Ukrainian territory resulted in the deaths of 5 individuals on Saturday and cut power to sections of Ukraine's southern Odesa region, as stated by Ukrainian officials.

Two civilians lost their lives in a religious building in Kostyantynivka when it was struck, per local authorities.

In Russia's border region of Belgorod, a truck driver was lost his life by a attack from Ukraine, according to municipal sources.

Energy Restoration Efforts in the Capital

Work carried on on Saturday to recover electricity in the Ukrainian capital, after strikes by Moscow.

Energy had been recovered to over 800,000 residents by the weekend and the major power firm announced the key operations to repair the grid was concluded though some outages persisted.

Air Defence Operations and Drone Interceptions

Ukraine's defense forces intercepted or jammed 54 out of 78 total enemy drones sent targeting the country during the night, the air force said on Saturday.

The Russian defence ministry said it intercepted forty-two UAVs from Ukraine over the country's airspace.

Cuba Denies Claims of Deploying Forces to Ukraine

Cuba on Saturday rejected American allegations it has provided troops to participate in the Ukraine war, while affirming Cuban authorities "lack accurate information about Cuban nationals" participating "voluntarily" or "as part of the armed units of both sides".

The ministry in the capital said twenty-six nationals had been convicted to jail sentences ranging from five up to fourteen years for mercenary activity since September 2023 when news circulated of Cuban nationals being dispatched to the frontlines in Ukraine.

Surrender Initiative Program Reveals Information on Cuban National Enlistment

The surrender initiative, a official Kyiv program that encourages opposing fighters to give up, reported in spring: "We reliably know the names and personal details of one thousand and twenty-eight individuals who enlisted with the Russian military in 2023-2024."

The Cuban foreign ministry stated of those who might be engaged: "It is irrefutable that not a single one has the support, dedication, or consent of the Cuban state for their activities."

Relatives of Cubans who departed to Russia in 2023 told Agence France-Presse at the time that their loved ones had been misled into enlisting through promotions on social media.