The St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv served as a somber site for the funeral of two sisters, Liubava, 12, and Vira, 17, who were killed when a Russian missile struck their apartment building. Their father, a soldier who had died on the front lines three years prior, was also mourned at the service. This tragedy underscores the pervasive reach of the ongoing war, impacting families and communities deeply across Ukraine. The priest presiding over the service emphasized that this grief, though personal, is a shared sorrow for all of Ukraine, bound together by the conflict.
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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has been largely sidelined from Russia’s core foreign policy negotiations concerning the war in Ukraine. This shift in influence is attributed to Lavrov’s consistently hardline public stance, which has at times contradicted or complicated Moscow’s broader diplomatic efforts. Instead, key strategic decisions and outreach to Washington are now primarily shaped by presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev, who acts as a direct channel to the U.S. administration. This restructuring of Russia’s foreign policy apparatus indicates a move towards more pragmatic intermediaries for diplomatic engagement.
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The United States is pursuing a defense cooperation agreement with Ukraine to gain access to its advanced drone technology and intellectual property. This proposed agreement stems from the Pentagon’s interest in battle-tested Ukrainian systems, particularly their expertise in drone warfare developed during the ongoing conflict. The US seeks to test and potentially replicate these technologies domestically, with potential for direct procurement and benchmarks for future American drone programs. Ukrainian officials have emphasized the combat readiness of their systems, while the US is keen on independent evaluation.
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Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed strikes on May 18 and May 19 against key Russian oil infrastructure. These attacks targeted the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, one of Russia’s largest, and the Yaroslavl-3 oil pumping station in Yaroslavl Oblast. The refinery, a significant producer of fuel for Russian forces, experienced a fire, while damage assessments are ongoing for the pumping station. These actions align with Ukraine’s strategy to degrade Russia’s war-waging capabilities by disrupting its oil processing and distribution.
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Following a period of unusually high interest rates that bolstered savings, Russian households have begun withdrawing funds from fixed-term bank deposits for the first time since October 2022. This shift, totaling 288 billion rubles in March, is attributed to declining deposit rates, prompting savers to seek alternatives such as bonds, cash holdings, and increased consumer spending on durable goods. The Central Bank noted a broader slowdown in total bank holdings, with growth primarily driven by current accounts, while longer-term deposits saw the most significant outflows. This redirection of funds is seen by economists as a potential stimulus for economic activity.
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According to sources familiar with US assessments of a recent Beijing summit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump that Russian leader Vladimir Putin may come to regret his invasion of Ukraine. These remarks, reportedly going further than previous discussions on the topic, emerged as Putin prepares for a summit with Xi. During the same meeting, Trump suggested that the US, China, and Russia should cooperate to challenge the International Criminal Court.
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During a recent summit in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly expressed to former US President Donald Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin might come to regret the invasion of Ukraine. This marks a more direct expression of Xi’s personal views on the conflict than previously shared. The discussions also touched on the war in Ukraine and a proposal by Trump for the three leaders to collaborate against the International Criminal Court. The Trump administration’s official fact sheet from the summit did not mention these conversations.
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Ukrainian long-range strikes have significantly impacted Russia’s oil industry, reducing its refining capacity by 10% in recent months. This has also forced Russian oil companies to shut down wells, a development considered particularly damaging given the nature of their production. President Zelenskyy asserts that these actions, coupled with international pressure, are pushing Russia toward bankruptcy and an eventual end to the conflict.
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Russian drones struck two civilian vessels heading to Ukraine’s Odesa region, one of which was a Chinese-owned cargo ship. The attack occurred just before President Vladimir Putin’s planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Despite the strike, the Chinese crew was unharmed and the vessel continued its journey. This incident follows a pattern of Russian attacks on civilian shipping in the vital Odesa port area.
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Russian military sources claim Ukrainian forces are employing upgraded tactical drones with AI capable of identifying and targeting human soldiers using facial contours and heat signatures. However, this assertion remains unverified, with some Ukrainian sources suggesting the technology might involve directed explosive charges rather than full facial recognition. The reported development coincides with Ukraine’s broader advancements in drone technology and operator training, including the use of modified video games like Grand Theft Auto V for realistic urban combat simulation.
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John Q. Hosedrinker