Russia said on Saturday that its troops had taken control of a settlement in the Donetsk region, while Ukraine hit a Russian military command post with missiles and rockets.
In the daily report on its special military operation, the Russian Ministry of Defense said the Russian forces had struck Ukrainian military targets including a electronic warfare station, anti-artillery radar, and ammunition depot.
Russian air defense systems intercepted multiple Ukrainian rockets, aerial bombs, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Russian forces continued to strike Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region on Saturday, resulting in over 400 casualties, with more than 10 armored vehicles destroyed, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on the same day that as of Saturday afternoon, its forces had engaged Russian troops in multiple battles, with the most intense fighting in Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian forces also used Storm Shadow missiles and multiple rocket launchers to strike a Russian military command post.
Russia claims control of settlement, Ukraine strikes Russian military command post
The final match of "Village Basketball Association" Championship Tournament, an amateur rural basketball event that has become a nationwide sports phenomenon, was held on Friday in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province.
The Shandong Huidong Group team claimed the title after a 101-71 triumph over the team from Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Gansu Province.
The thrilling match lasted from afternoon to night, with basketball players from rural areas competing and demonstrating their skills, teamwork and passion, and tens of thousands of spectators from across the country cheering for the players.
"I've really felt how crowded this court is and how popular and hot the game can be. It's really exciting that we can experience country folk culture here," said Gao Qing, a spectator from Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province that is more than 3,000 kilometers away from Guizhou.
The championship tournament of "Village Basketball Association", or VBA -- a witty twist on North America's National Basketball Association -- is held annually in Taipan Village of Taijiang County in Guizhou's Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture as a part of rice harvest celebrations for local ethnic Miao people.
This year's tournament has involved more than 600 teams from across the country, of which eight played in the finals from Monday to Friday.
"All the fans would cheer for us no matter which team scores. It's really inspiring," said Wei Junjie, a player of Huxiang Village team from Bengbu City, east China's Anhui Province.
"It's a very good opportunity for us to learn from one another," said Chen Chen, a member of the runner-up team.
In addition to intensive basketball competitions, the court also hosted a karaoke, a concert and a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) show on the day to entertain the spectators.
Village basketball tournament concludes in southwest China’s Guizhou
