Ukraine war latest: Yet another Russian oil refinery hit, General Staff confirms

Key Points:

• Ukraine struck the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and the Yaroslavl-3 oil pumping station on May 18-19, targeting key Russian fuel supplies used by occupation forces.
• Russian forces launched missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts on May 19, killing five civilians and injuring over 30, while continuing widespread strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
• Reuters reported that China secretly trained about 200 Russian soldiers in 2025, focusing on drone warfare and other combat skills, with some trainees later participating in fighting in Ukraine, indicating deeper military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing.
• Russia commenced large-scale nuclear forces drills involving over 64,000 personnel and extensive military hardware from May 19 to 21, aiming to improve readiness and deterrence amid perceived threats.
• Russian military hospitals are overwhelmed by wounded soldiers from the Ukraine war, leading authorities to repurpose civilian hospitals and medical facilities to accommodate the high number of casualties.