Core Viewpoint - The Pentagon has been restricting Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to strike targets within Russia, limiting Kyiv's military capabilities in the ongoing conflict [2][3] Group 1: Pentagon's Approval Process - A new approval process was introduced by the Pentagon to prevent Ukraine from using U.S.-made long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (Atacms) against Russian targets [2] - The approval mechanism grants the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, the final decision-making authority on whether Ukraine can utilize Atacms, which have a range of nearly 190 miles [2] - This approval requirement effectively overturns a previous decision made by President Biden that allowed Ukraine to use Atacms to strike within Russia [2] Group 2: Trump's Position and Military Strategy - Former President Trump stated that Ukraine must transition to an offensive stance to defeat Russia, although his comments do not imply a repeal of the Pentagon's approval process [3] - Trump has previously criticized Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to attack Russia, labeling it as "foolish" and suggesting it escalates the conflict [3] - The Pentagon's approval process also applies to Ukraine's use of "Storm Shadow" missiles, which rely on U.S. intelligence and components [3] Group 3: Military Aid and Weaponry - The U.S. has approved the sale of 3,350 air-launched long-range attack munitions (ERAM) to Ukraine, valued at $850 million, with most funding coming from European countries [4] - Despite the lack of announcements regarding increased missile supplies, European nations continue to purchase other weapons from the U.S. to assist Ukraine [4] - Ukraine is developing its own long-range weapons, including a new cruise missile named "Flamingo," expected to enter production by the end of this year or early next year [5] Group 4: Inventory Management and Control - The Pentagon has implemented a categorization system to assess U.S. weapon stockpiles for Ukraine, classifying them into "green," "yellow," and "red" categories based on availability [5] - The "green" category indicates sufficient inventory for immediate provision to Ukraine, while "yellow" and "red" signify tighter stock levels [5] - This categorization allows the Secretary of Defense to retract previously planned weapon systems for Ukraine if they fall into the "yellow" or "red" categories [5]

Group 1 - The Kursk nuclear power plant reported that a Ukrainian drone was shot down by Russian air defense near the facility, causing a fire in an auxiliary transformer, but radiation levels remained unchanged and there were no casualties [1] - The acting governor of Kursk stated that the attack on the nuclear plant constitutes a war crime and poses a threat to nuclear safety, violating international law [1] - The International Atomic Energy Agency acknowledged reports of the transformer fire due to military activities but has not independently verified the information, emphasizing the need for protection of all nuclear facilities [2] Group 2 - A refinery in the Russian port of Ust-Luga caught fire following a Ukrainian drone attack, with local officials reporting that 10 drones were shot down in the area [3][4] - The fire at the Novatek refinery was caused by the wreckage of one of the drones, and firefighting efforts were initiated [5] - Novatek is linked to the Kremlin and operates significant liquefied natural gas production facilities in the Arctic region [6] Group 3 - The U.S. Department of Defense has been blocking Ukraine from using U.S.-made long-range missiles to strike targets within Russia, with a high-level approval process in place since late spring [9] - This approval process effectively overturned a previous policy allowing Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles against Russian targets, as stated by U.S. officials [10] - Ukraine has developed some domestic long-range weapons to target Russian infrastructure, including drones aimed at oil refineries and aircraft [10] Group 4 - Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov indicated that President Putin is willing to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky, but only if the meeting is expected to yield results [14] - Lavrov mentioned that Russia's goals include eliminating threats to its security from Ukraine and protecting the rights of Russian-speaking residents [15] - The Russian side proposed the establishment of working groups during previous negotiations, but Ukraine has yet to respond [15]

Group 1 - The U.S. Department of Defense has implemented a high-level approval process that prevents Ukraine from using U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike targets within Russia since late spring of this year [1] - This approval process, established by Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, has effectively overturned the previous policy under President Biden that allowed Ukraine to use ATACMS against Russian targets [2] - The current military situation between Russia and Ukraine remains unchanged, as stated by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, emphasizing that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is aligned with President Trump’s stance on the need to end the war [1] Group 2 - Trump criticized the Biden administration's policy of allowing Ukraine to strike Russian targets, calling it "stupid" and suggesting it escalates the conflict [2] - Despite Trump's recent statements suggesting Ukraine should attack Russia, U.S. officials indicate that there has been no change in policy regarding the approval process for Ukraine's use of long-range missile systems [2] - Ukraine has developed some domestic long-range weapons to target Russian sites, including drones aimed at attacking Russian oil refineries and aircraft, and is working on a new cruise missile named "Flamingo" expected to enter mass production by the end of this year or early next year [2]