Russian guided bombs and rockets kill one, injure seven in Kupiansk area
Russian armed forces launched a series of strikes on the town of Kupiansk and the settlement of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyy in the Kharkiv Oblast on May 21, 2025, using guided aerial bombs and multiple launch rocket systems, according to State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration and the Kharkiv Oblast Police. Russians killed one person and injured seven others.
The Russians struck a three-storey apartment building with a guided aerial bomb in the settlement of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyy. The attack completely destroyed one of the building’s entrances and damaged nearby apartment buildings and houses.
The State Emergency Service reported that one person died and four others suffered injuries.
Strikes also hit the town of Kupiansk. Fires broke out in a house, an outbuilding, a garage and a wood storage shed. At least three women, aged 72, 69 and 55, sustained injuries.
Investigators and forensic experts from the police are also documenting the aftermath of the attack at the scene.
Viacheslav Chaus, Head of the Chernihiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that Russians dropped an explosive from a drone on a farm near the town of Semenivka in the northern Chernihiv Oblast in the afternoon on May 21. They killed a 28-year-old civilian man while he was working on the farm.
Chaus also assed that later, the Russians shelled the outskirts of Semenivka, causing destruction but no casualties.
On May 14, the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported that Russians killed a 63-year-old civilian man in a Russian airstrike on the city of Kupiansk.
Early reports indicate that the Russians dropped a FAB-1500 bomb equipped with a UMPK guidance kit for converting unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions that day.
By way of background, the US President Donald Trump carried out a 2.5-hour call with his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and talked about the Russian war against the Ukrainian People on May 19. This phone conversation did not lead to any breakthroughs regarding a ceasefire or talks to end the fighting, disappointing European and Ukrainian allies of Washington who would like to see the US doing more to increase pressure on Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb that Russia is trying to buy time to prolong the war and occupation.
“There is no doubt that the war must end at the negotiating table. The proposals on the table must be clear and realistic. Ukraine is ready for any negotiation format that delivers results. And if Russia continues to put forward unrealistic conditions and undermine progress, there must be tough consequences […],” Zelenskyy added.
Reuters news agency reported that Ukraine will ask the EU next week to consider big new steps to isolate Moscow, including seizing Russian assets and bringing in sanctions for some buyers of Russian oil, as Donald Trump has backed off from tightening sanctions.
Bloomberg reports, citing Kpler data, that Indian oil imports from Russia in May are nearing their highest level in 10 months,
As of May 21, daily shipments stood at 1.98 million barrels, primarily of the Urals grade. This recovery follows a drop in imports to a 14-month low in February, caused by US sanctions.
Since then, Indian refiners have re-established supply chains, utilizing sanction-free tankers, intermediaries, and traders. In April, India once again purchased the Sokol grade from Russia’s Far East for the first time since October.
According to Kpler data, the average daily volume of oil supplied from eastern ports, including the ESPO grade, in May is 225,000 barrels, which could exceed April levels by 60%. At least 10 ESPO shipments to India are planned for June — close to a record high.
The publication notes that India has remained one of the largest buyers of Russian oil since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, leveraging discounted prices to improve refining margins.
Previously, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR) reported that following the tightening of sanctions, supplies of Western machine tools became more difficult in 2024, so Russians are increasing imports of equipment from China.
The GUR published data on 37 units of foreign equipment used by the enemy’s military-industrial complex, in particular, the “Almaz-Antey” enterprise, which manufactures anti-aircraft weaponry, and Russia’s largest tank and armored vehicle manufacturer – “Uralvagonzavod.”
“Uralvagonzavod,” in particular, imported Chinese machine tools in 2023-2024.
According to the GUR, Russia’s military industry remains dependent on foreign equipment, particularly CNCі machine tools. Payments for such goods are predominantly made through VTB Bank and its Shanghai branch, with payments made in Chinese yuan.
Furthermore, Chinese machine tools are equipped with German and Japanese CNC systems – from Siemens, Heidenhain, and Fanuc.
“‘Uralvagonzavod’ and ‘Almaz-Antey’ also use equipment manufactured by Emco (Austria), Grindex (Serbia), Hermle (Germany), Tos Celakovice (Czech Republic), and others, acquired before the full-scale invasion,” the GUR reports.
