Russia on Saturday accused Ukraine of carrying out 14 attacks on its energy infrastructure in a single day, while Ukraine dismissed it as false claims.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that over the past 24 hours, Russian forces repelled Ukrainian attacks from various directions and launched multiple offensives.
Russian forces hit Ukrainian military airports, military repair facilities, drone production workshops, ammunition depots, and concentrations of active forces and equipment in 147 areas, according to the report.
According to another report by the Russian Ministry of Defense on Saturday, from Friday night to Saturday morning, Russian air defense systems across multiple locations successfully shot down and intercepted 49 Ukrainian drones.
Governor of Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said on Saturday that Ukrainian drones attacked an industrial facility in the region, causing a fire.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces issued a statement accusing the Russian Defense Ministry of spreading false information. The claim that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian energy infrastructure was false, and the Ukrainian military targeted Russian military objectives only, according to the statement.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also reported on Saturday that 145 combat engagements occurred across frontline over the past 24 hours.
The Ukrainian air force, missile units and artillery attacked 17 areas where Russian personnel, weapons and military equipment were concentrated, according to the report.
According to another report by the Ukrainian air force on Saturday, Russian forces launched 92 drones at Ukraine from 21:00 Friday to Saturday local time. By 09:00 local time on Saturday, Ukrainian forces confirmed the downing of 51 drones.
Russia, Ukraine dispute on energy facilities attacks
The prolonged closure of the Rafah crossing has left thousands of Palestinians in Gaza unable to travel abroad for medical treatment, education or family reunions, according to residents and health officials.
For many in Gaza, the crossing is more than a border point. After months of near-total isolation, it has become a crucial route for patients seeking care abroad, students hoping to continue their studies and families separated by the conflict.
Health officials say the extended closure has taken a heavy toll. More than 1,000 patients are reported to have died while waiting for permission to travel overseas for medical treatment.
"Our lives are tied to the crossing. If it opens, it gives us life. If it stays closed, we remain in a state of clinical death. I’ve been in the hospital for one hundred days," said Haitham Al-Qanoua, an injured Palestinian.
Hospitals say tens of thousands of patients remain on waiting lists, including children and cancer patients in urgent need of specialized care that is unavailable inside Gaza.
"More than 20,000 citizens have completed referral procedures for treatment abroad and are waiting to travel. Among them are 4,000 children and 4,000 cancer patients. There are also extremely critical cases that require immediate medical evacuation," said Zaher Al-Wahidi, director of the Health Information Center in Gaza.
The closure has also disrupted education plans, leaving many young Palestinians unable to pursue studies overseas.
"I've applied for Ministry of Education scholarships to study abroad in Turkey and Hungary, but I wasn't lucky to get them. Going abroad would help my parents save the money they spent on me in this awful condition. Opening the crossing is extremely important so people can travel, go on with their lives, and for me to complete my education," said Saeed Masoud, a Palestinian student.
For many families, the closure has meant prolonged separation, with relatives stranded on opposite sides of the border.
"I'm waiting for the crossing to open to see my children and my wife. She, with my children, left Gaza to accompany her father who needed medical treatment after he was injured in an Israeli airstrike on Deir al-Balah. I haven't seen my family for nearly two years, and I miss them deeply," said Ayman Abu Shanab, a displaced Palestinian.
With the Rafah crossing still closed, patients in need of treatment abroad, students seeking to continue their studies and families separated by the conflict remain unable to travel.
Rafah crossing closure strands patients, students, families in Gaza
