"Russia's top military leaders as well as President Vladimir Putin have on Saturday declared the full liberation of Russia's Kursk region, after Ukrainian forces invaded and occupied huge swathes of it starting last August.
The final fight was for the village of Gornal, which lies on the Ukrainian border. Fighting on the vicinity of the settlement became fierce earlier this month, and the tide was definitely in Moscow forces' favor after the capture of a key monastery complex. Russian forces accused the Ukrainian army of using the monastery as a military forward operating position." ZeroHedge
"A huge explosion this morning killed more than 500 people and destroyed large parts of theIranian port of Shahid Rajaee southwest of Bandar Abbas along the shores of the Persian Gulf.
The explosion occurred as Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman. However, so far there was no indication of any link between the two events.
An Iranian news service reported that a fuel tank had “exploded for an unknown reason,” and port operations had been suspended. State broadcaster IRIB said the explosion took place in the chemical and sulfur area of the port." Breitbart
"President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky met on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral in Rome on Saturday. By the looks of it, they had an impromptu face-to-face right there at St. Peter's Basilica and in the ornate surroundings of the Vatican, also as confirmed by Zelensky himself in a social media post.
Zelensky called it a "good meeting" where "a lot" was discussed and that he's hoping for results. This comes after Trump recently said a "final offer" is on the table regarding achieving ceasefire in the war.
Zelensky wrote on X, "Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results." ZeroHedge
"156 combat engagements between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian invaders were recorded along the frontline, with the majority of attacks concentrated in the Pokrovsk sector.
Airstrikes targeted locations in the Sumy region, including Prokhody, Uhroidy, Mykhailivka, Myropilske, Velykyi Prykil, and Mykhailivka; Mala Vovcha in the Kharkiv region; Bahatyr, Oleksiivka, and Novopil in the Donetsk region; Novodarivka and Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region; as well as Kozatske and Antonivka in the Kherson region.
In the Kupiansk sector, five enemy attacks were recorded, with Ukrainian forces successfully repelling a Russian assault in the area of Nova Kruhliakivka.In the Lyman sector, Russian troops launched 19 offensives, attempting to breach defenses in areas including Ridkodub, Druzheliubivka, Hlushchenkove, Novoserhiivka, Novyi Myr, Serebrianka, Novoyehorivka, Kolodiazy, Nove, and Torske.
In the Siversk sector, the Defense Forces thwarted five enemy advances in the direction of Hryhorivka and Verkhniokamianske.
The Kramatorsk sector saw eight combat clashes, concentrated near Chasiv Yar and the areas around Markove and Bila Hora.
In the Toretsk sector, Russian forces conducted 16 attacks in Dachne, Toretsk, and in the directions of Pleshchiyivka, Shcherbynivka, and Dyliivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian troops successfully repelled 44 Russian assault attempts near Yelyzavetivka, Preobrazhenka, Andriivka, Stara Mykolaivka, Lysivka, Kotlyne, Novooleksandrivka, Nadiivka, as well as in the directions of Myroliubivka, Malynivka, and Romanivka.
In the Novopavlivka sector, the Russian army carried out 19 attacks in areas such as Kostiantynopil, Vesele, Novosilka, Pryvilne, and toward Vile Pole and Odradne.
In the Orikhiv sector, the invaders launched four assault attempts near Novodanylivka and Stepove, while in the Prydniprovskyi sector, one unsuccessful enemy advance was recorded.
No combat engagements occurred in the Kharkiv and Huliaipole sectors. Similarly, no signs of Russian offensive groups were detected in the Volyn and Polissia sectors.
The Defense Forces continue to hold back the invaders in the Kursk sector. Yesterday, the Russians carried out 28 air strikes, dropping 37 drones, and fired 370 times, nine attacks from multiple launch rocket systems. Ukrainian defenders successfully halted 30 assault attempts by the invaders." Ukrin
