Firefighters battle a blaze set by Russian attacks on the Ivano-Frankivsk region, Ukraine, December 13, 2024

Friday’s Coverage: Russia Launches Large-Scale Missile and Drone Attacks

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1909 GMT:

Ukraine has postponed signing an agreement with the US on processing and extracting rare earth minerals, so Donald Trump can claim credit for the deal when he returns to the White House on January 20.

Ukraine, which has large deposits of critical minerals, including cobalt, graphite, and lithium, had planned to sign the deal with US President Joe Biden. Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal announced plans for the deal during their visit to Kyiv in August.

But Graham told Fox TV in November:

This war is about money. So Donald Trump’s going to do a deal to get our money back, to enrich ourselves with rare earth minerals. A good deal for Ukraine and us, and he’s going to bring peace.

UPDATE 1855 GMT:

Turkey has asked the US to ease its recent sanctions on Russia’s Gazprombank.

Ankara made the request during the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. American officials said they were already considering the issue.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said earlier that the US sanctions would directly affect Turkey, as Russia remains one of the key gas suppliers for the country.

Last month the US imposed restrictions on more than 50 Russian banks, including Gazprombank, and more than 40 Russian securities registrars. The sanctions will come into effect on December 20.

Gazprombank has taken payments for gas, including from those deemed “unfriendly countries” by the Kremlin.

The European Union has also called on the US to consider easing restrictions, as the stability of gas supplies in the region may be affected.

UPDATE 1413 GMT:

Russia’s largest liquefied natural gas producer, Novatek, is seeking to ease US sanctions on its Arctic LNG 2 project, say informed sources.

Anticipating negotiations to end Moscow’s 33 1/2-month invasion of Ukraine, Novatek is cooperating with lobbyists to establish a dialogue with Western countries. Its deputy chairman Denis Solovyov recently visited Washington for talks with an American lobbying firm, and the company plans to contact US government agencies.

Sanctions in November 2023 suspensed production at Arctic LNG 2, with the threat of confiscation of deliveries.

The project, launched in 2019, has French, Chinese and Japanese investors but 60% of the shares belong to Novatek. The company’s co-owner is billionaire Gennady Timchenko, a close friend of Vladimir Putin.

The company plans to use its special tax status as a bargaining chip, sources said. Unlike other Russian gas companies, Novatek is exempt from corporate taxes until 2030 because of its Yamal LNG project. That exemption means it is not funding the Kremlin’s invasion, the company claims.

UPDATE 1245 GMT:

Without referring to its strikes inside Russia, Ukraine military intelligence says a Su-30 fighter jet and three locomotives have been destroyed.

The fighter jet burned on the airfield in the city of Krymsk in the Krasnodar region in southwest Russia.

The three railway locomotives, used for Russia military transport were also in Krasnodar.

The Ukrainian military confirmed that it also targeted a critical oil infrastructure facility in the Oryol region early Saturday.

The General Staff reported a significant attack on the Stalnoy Kon linear production dispatching station, a key terminal for oil product logistics.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a “massive reaction” by the international community to Russia’s “massive attacks” with missiles and drones.

Early on Friday, Russia fired 93 missiles and 193 drones, targeting energy infrastructure and other civilian sites across Ukraine.

Air defenses downed 81 of the cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and Kinzhal air-launched missiles. Of the 193 drones, 80 were downed and 105 were lost to electronic counter-measures.

Zelensky posted:

This is Putin’s plan for “peace” – to destroy everything. This is how he wants “negotiations” – terroriszng millions of people.

A strong reaction from the world is needed…a massive reaction.

In his nightly address to the nation, the President added:

Each time Russia launches new strikes against our country, it underscores an objective need: steps that show Putin his terror will not succeed. Instead of seeking ways to end the war, he uses missiles. It is war and intimidation that keep the Russian “throne” under this person.

Early on Saturday, Russia launched another 132 attack drones on 11 Ukrainain regions. Air defenses intercepted 58, 72 were lost to electronic counter-measures, and two returned to Russia.

Zelensky thanked “all our defenders of the skies” and repeated his call for support:

More Patriots and other air defense systems, missiles for them, and stricter sanctions against Russia — all of this will enable us to protect even more lives. The world has the resources to help us achieve this goal.