Ukrainian drones paralyze two Russian oil refineries

Two major Russian oil refineries in Moscow and Ryazan have halted operations after Ukrainian drone attacks, the Kyivpost reports, citing Reuters and industry sources.
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Two major Russian oil refineries in Moscow and Ryazan have halted operations after Ukrainian drone attacks, the Kyivpost reports, citing Reuters and industry sources.

A long-eared owl named Sunny, injured by a Russian kamikaze drone in Zaporizhzhia in February, is recovering in Dnipro but will never fly or hunt again, the Guardian reports.

The European Union will transfer €3.2 billion to Ukraine in mid-June as the first tranche of a €90 billion loan, the Kyivpost reports.

Russian strikes on Pryluky and Hlukhiv on Tuesday morning killed six people and wounded dozens, the BBC reported, citing Ukrainian authorities.

The Russian armed forces have temporarily reduced their activity at the front. According to military expert Roman Svitan, Ukrainian defense forces are using this phase for successful operations.

After the largest Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region on May 17, Russian propagandists openly admit that Russia lags behind Ukraine technologically in drone defense. According to 24tv, propaganda blogger Andriy Klintsevich said Moscow may soon be unable to intercept all Ukrainian drones.

Belarus and Russia have started a joint exercise on the use of nuclear weapons on May 18. Ukraine called on international partners to respond firmly, the BBC reports.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the joint tactical nuclear exercises of Russia and Belarus as an unprecedented challenge to the global security architecture and called for a tough international response.

In the night to Sunday, the Ukrainian army attacked the Moscow region with drones. According to Tagesspiegel, Russian military bloggers complain of 'significant gaps' in air defense.

Fighters of the Ukrainian special unit 'Artan' of the Military Intelligence Service (GUR) have liberated Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region from Russian occupiers, according to 24tv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Europe to appoint its own negotiator for potential peace talks with Russia, rejecting Putin's proposal of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.

A Russian drone struck a Chinese cargo ship in the Black Sea near Odesa, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, condemning the attack as a deliberate act.

On the night of May 18, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 22 missiles and over 500 drones, according to 24tv. The strikes targeted several regions, including Dnipro and Odesa.

Ukrainian forces have neutralized 1,220 Russian soldiers in the last 24 hours, according to Ukrainska Pravda. Total Russian troop losses in the war now exceed 1.35 million soldiers.

On May 17, hostile drone activities were reported in several regions of Ukraine, according to 24tv. The air situation remains dynamic, increasing the threat to certain areas.

Polish farmers are facing an increasing shortage of seasonal workers for berry picking as competition for Ukrainian labor intensifies across the EU, particularly from Germany.

On May 17, 2026, Ukraine launched a successful drone offensive against Moscow, marking the most effective attack since the start of the Russian invasion, according to UNIAN.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the demand for Ukrainian language courses has surged worldwide. Ksenia Golubytska, founder of Language Lab in Kyiv, shares insights on this shift.

Ukrainian forces launched one of the largest coordinated drone operations against Russia, resulting in explosions and injuries in Moscow, while 556 UAVs were intercepted.

Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow have reportedly resulted in at least three fatalities, with several buildings damaged, while Ukraine also targeted Crimea.

A portion of Ukrainian pensioners can now receive a monthly additional benefit of approximately 1,300 Hryvnias. This support targets specific groups and is linked to the minimum living standard for non-working individuals, according to 24tv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced an agreement with French Emmanuel Macron for active collaboration in ballistic defense. The talks focused on urgently enhancing Ukraine's air defense capabilities following devastating Russian missile and drone attacks.

On Saturday, May 16, Russian forces killed a man and injured two others in an artillery attack in central Kherson. According to Kyivpost, regional prosecutors have launched a war crimes investigation.

Ukrainian President Zelensky announced that long-range operations have hit military and energy targets deep within Russia, describing these strikes as 'long-term sanctions' against the Kremlin's war machine.

Russia has not abandoned its plans to strike so-called "decision centers" in Kyiv, according to 24tv. Ukrainian intelligence has obtained documents listing around 20 potential targets.

Ukrainian forces have made significant gains in the Kharkiv region, reclaiming several villages while the front remains stable.

In the night of May 15 to 16, Russian forces carried out coordinated drone strikes on several Ukrainian regions. The port infrastructure in Odesa was particularly hard hit, injuring several civilians.

On May 16, over 1200 Russian soldiers were reported killed in the war in Ukraine. According to 24tv, Russian forces are increasingly losing their offensive potential.

In Ukraine, the number of fraudsters posing as security service employees to extort money has increased, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Friday, May 15.

Ukrainian authorities confirmed that the Kh-101 missiles used in a deadly attack on Kyiv this year were manufactured with Western components, according to Ukrainian sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk.

A Russian missile strike on a residential building in Kyiv on Friday resulted in 24 fatalities. Donald Trump expressed that this attack could jeopardize peace efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that military intelligence has obtained information about Russian plans to target decision-making centers in Kyiv.

Ukrainian forces launched an attack on the Ryazan oil refinery in Russia on the night of May 15, according to Ukrainska Pravda. Located over 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the refinery is one of the largest in the country and supplies fuel to the Russian army.

A UN aid convoy in the Kherson region was attacked by a drone while distributing humanitarian supplies, with no injuries reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored the 24 victims of a Russian missile attack in Kyiv on May 14, including three children.

On the night of May 15, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine with six missiles and 141 drones. According to Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainian air defense intercepted 130 enemy drones and one missile.

At least 24 people, including three children, have died in Russian airstrikes on Kyiv on May 14, according to Ukrainian emergency services.

In the last 24 hours, Ukrainian forces have successfully repelled 257 attacks from Russian troops, including 39 in the Pokrovsk direction.

Residents of Ryazan, Taganrog, and Yeisk experienced a massive drone attack on the night of May 15, resulting in multiple explosions, fires, and injuries.

Russian drones attacked a clearly marked UN aid convoy in Kherson while it was delivering food and solar lights to civilians.