Ukraine war latest: Russia's Syzran oil refinery hit by 'another long range sanction'

Key developments on May 21:

• 'Another long-range sanction' — Ukraine strikes Syzran oil refinery, more than 800 kilometers from border
• Russia allegedly delivers nuclear warheads for joint exercises with Belarus
• Ukraine strikes Russian FSB headquarters in occupied Kherson Oblast, killing and injuring nearly 100 troops
• Ukraine developing new low-cost way to down Russian Shahed-type drones
• Russian drones hits apartment buildings in Dnipro injuring 15, including 13-year-old boy

Ukrainian forces attacked an oil refinery in the Russian city of Syzran in the Samara Oblast overnight on May 21, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Telegram.

"This is yet another of our long-range sanctions against the Russian oil refining industry, and we will continue along this path," Zelensky said, adding that the target was located more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The refinery has a processing capacity of approximately 9 million tons of crude oil per year and supplies fuel to the Russian Air Force and military units in central and southern Russia, while also exporting petroleum products via the Volga River and the Caspian Sea.

Russia allegedly delivers nuclear warheads for joint exercises with Belarus

Russia has allegedly deployed nuclear warheads to Belarus for joint military exercises involving nuclear forces, the Belarus Defense Ministry said on May 21.

Belarus announced on May 18 the start of military exercises involving nuclear weapons, in what appears to run counter to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The treaty prohibits nuclear-weapon states from transferring control of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear-weapon states, and bars non-nuclear-weapon signatories from accepting such control.

Belarus's Defense Ministry released videos on May 21 showing what it said were heavy equipment allegedly carrying nuclear warheads through a forest, ballistic missile submarines heading to sea training areas, and personnel mounting missiles on aircraft launchers.

Ukraine strikes Russian FSB headquarters in occupied Kherson Oblast, killing and injuring nearly 100 troops

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) Alpha special forces unit struck an FSB headquarters in occupied Kherson Oblast, killing and wounding about 100 Russian troops, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 21.

The strike also destroyed a Pantsir-S1 air defense system valued at up to $20 million, Zelensky said.

Zelensky did not specify when the operation took place.

"The Russians must realize that they have to bring this war to an end. Ukraine's medium- and long-range sanctions will continue to take effect," Zelensky said.

Ukraine developing new low-cost way to down Russian Shahed-type drones

Ukraine is developing low-cost interceptor missiles to counter Russian Shahed-type drones, with prototypes already undergoing testing, Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told journalists at a closed-door press briefing on May 16.

"We have already identified solutions that are nearly ready and have begun testing them," Fedorov said.

The Iranian-made Shahed is one of Russia's main long-range strike systems used against targets in Ukraine. First deployed in 2022, it was later produced domestically by Russia, which developed its own variant, the Geran.

Fedorov added that Ukraine plans to increase production of the missiles "tenfold" and build up additional stockpiles for the fall and winter season, following this winter's Russian strikes on energy infrastructure that caused widespread power outages and left many areas without heating during periods of severe cold.

Russian drones hits apartment buildings in Dnipro injuring 15, including 13-year-old boy

A Russian daytime drone attack on the city of Dnipro has injured at least 15 people including a 13-year-old boy, local authorities said on May 21.

Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov reported that most of the injured were taken to hospital suffering shrapnel wounds, burns, and lacerations.

Filatov added that eight residential buildings were damaged, along with coffee shops and dozens of vehicles. The roof of a four-story building collapsed directly above two stairwells.