The Daily Populous

Friday May 15th, 2026 day edition

image for Massive fire erupts at Russia's Ryazan oil refinery as Ukrainian drone blitz hits multiple targets, oblasts

Photos and videos posted on social media purported to show a massive fire emanating from what appears to be the Ryazan oil refinery amid a Ukrainian drone attack.

Local residents of the city of Ryazan reported several drones flying overhead before hearing multiple loud explosions in the area of the refinery.

Additional footage of Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery suffering a catastrophic fire this morning after an overnight Ukrainian drone attack. pic.twitter.com/HX2Z3iDTOw — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) May 15, 2026.

The Russian governor further claimed that three people were killed and 12 were injured as a result of the Ukrainian attack.

0:00 / 1× A purported video showing the aftermath of a reported Ukrainian drone attack on the Ryazan Oil Refinery on May 15, 2026.

Moscow Mayor Sergiy Sobyanin reported that five Ukrainian drones were downed while approaching the Russian capital just before midnight on May 14.

Ukrainian drones have increasingly targeted Russian oil and gas infrastructure in recent weeks, as part of a broader campaign to disrupt Moscow's energy revenues, a key source of funding for the Kremlin's war effort. »

Emails show FBI Director Kash Patel’s Hawaii trip included ‘VIP snorkel’ at a Pearl Harbor memorial

Authored by apnews.com

The FBI did not disclose the snorkeling session or that Patel had returned to Hawaii for two days after his initial stopover on the island.

Marine archaeologists and crews from the National Park Service make occasional dives at the memorial to survey the condition of the wreck.

Other dives have been conducted to inter the remains of Arizona survivors who wanted to rest eternally with their former shipmates. »

Trump Wouldn’t Actually Pardon Ghislaine Maxwell ... Right?

Authored by esquire.com

The plan is still in preliminary discussions but, if carried out, would expand Trump’s already wide use of the pardon power.

... Trump has been determined to put his imprint on the national celebration, known as the semiquincentennial.

After the Supreme Court declined to hear Maxwell’s appeal, Trump was asked last year whether he was considering a pardon. »

Developers of Party Animals announce an AI video contest - game gets a review bomb

Authored by gamingonlinux.com

Party Animals developers Recreate Games recently announced an AI video contest and it went down like a lead balloon.

With all the well reported issues and concerns surrounding AI / Generative AI, you would think it would be an absolute given that announcing an AI contest would be a thoroughly idiotic idea - but apparently not.

In a post on X/Twitter, the official Party Animals account invited people to win a share of $75,000 to "bring your ideas to life with AI". »