Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian drones successfully struck three oil refineries within the Russian republic of Bashkortostan. These facilities, situated nearly 1,600km (994 miles) from Ukrainian territory, are responsible for processing millions of tonnes of oil annually. Reports from the Russian outlet Astra indicated that one of the drones ignited a fire at a refinery in Ufa, the regional capital.
In addition to the refinery strikes, Zelenskyy reported that a sanctioned Russian container ship, the Yanina, was sunk in the Black Sea following a Ukrainian drone attack. The vessel was identified by Ukraine as a facility supporting the Russian war effort. Conversely, Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear energy company whose subsidiary FESCO operates the vessel, asserted the ship was transporting civilian goods, including construction materials and frozen food.
The conflict continues to impact critical infrastructure, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reporting that the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost off-site power for nearly two hours on Saturday. This marks the 23rd such incident since the full-scale invasion began. Although the plant is not currently operational, it requires external power to maintain the cooling systems necessary for nuclear safety.
Meanwhile, residents in occupied Crimea are facing severe hardship as fuel and power supplies dwindle due to Ukrainian strikes. In the town of Massandra, local administration head Oksana Madyud noted that officials are serving hot meals to approximately 200 people daily because many residents lack the electricity to cook at home. Local civilians, such as Marina and Alexandra, described the daily struggle of living without power for extended periods.
Diplomatic tensions have also escalated after Russian missiles struck near the Lithuanian embassy in Kyiv. While no injuries were reported, the facility sustained damage to windows and solar collectors. Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys stated that the country plans to summon a Russian embassy representative to lodge a formal protest, while emphasizing the need for continued international support for Ukraine.
Recovery operations are underway in Kyiv following a heavy barrage of Russian missiles and drones that occurred between Friday night and Saturday morning. The attacks resulted in at least nine deaths and 33 injuries. In the Solomianskyi district, a residential building fire led to the evacuation of 35 people, with two fatalities and eight injuries reported. Further casualties were recorded in the Darnytskyi district, where seven people were killed and 14 wounded. Additionally, a Russian airstrike in Kherson claimed one life and left five others injured.
Zelenskyy has reiterated his urgent request for Patriot missile systems, noting that Ukraine was only able to intercept one of the 27 ballistic missiles fired during the latest overnight assault. He warned that the absence of sufficient air defense interceptors continues to result in further civilian casualties.
Power cut to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant; meal queues in Crimea where Ukrainian strikes have cut fuel and power supplies. What we know on day 1,621
One local woman, Marina, said a bad leg made the climb down from her 10th-floor apartment difficult, but the lack of electricity had sent her hunting for a gas cooker and some cylinders. Another older resident, Alexandra, said she had been lured down by the smell of the lunch after going without electricity for 1
