Ukraine's air force shot down 30 out of 40 Iranian-made "Shahed" drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack on central and southern regions, regional and military officials said on Saturday.
The South Military command said that 20 drones were shot down in the central Vinnytsia region and another 10 over the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions in the south.
Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for the southern command, told Ukrainian TV that Russia continued to attack port infrastructure, including on the Danube river, and was also attempting to strike critical infrastructure facilities in other Ukrainian regions "to impact the economy".
Russia has intensified air attacks on Ukrainian grain export infrastructure on the Danube River and in the port of Odesa since July, when Moscow quit a UN-brokered deal that allowed safe Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea.
Serhiy Borzov, the Vinnytsia regional governor, said that an infrastructure facility was hit in the region, causing a powerful fire. He gave no other details about the damage.
Regional authorities also said that three people were injured in the southern Kherson region which is close to the frontlines and frequently comes under artillery shelling.
The United States and Iran signalled on Friday that an agreement to end their war was close, with a senior US administration official saying a text was in place that both sides like.
Qatar’s International Media Office has strongly denied allegations published by The Washington Post claiming that the country’s energy production decisions were coordinated with Iran or intended to influence regional developments.
Hopes grew on Friday for peace between Iran and the US after President Donald Trump said a deal could be signed as soon as this weekend, even as Tehran said it had not made a final decision on a pact.
Families of the 260 people killed when an Air India Boeing 787 crashed in Ahmedabad a year ago gathered on Friday for prayers and a candlelight tribute to mark the anniversary of the disaster.
Two Ebola-related deaths have been confirmed in a displacement camp in eastern Congo, the UN refugee agency said, with aid workers warning the risk of the disease spreading quickly in crowded refugee sites was high and worrying.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged overnight drone strikes into early Friday, with Ukraine targeting a major oil processing and petrochemical region while Russia attacked railway stations and electrical substations.
Authorities in Afghanistan's western city of Herat arrested at least 30 women, accusing them of violating dress rules imposed by the Taliban government, the UN said in a statement, adding that some were later released.
Welcome to Pinoy Bulletin, your go-to source for staying informed about important announcements, exciting group activities, community events, and job opportunities!