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Ukraine Strikes Russian Energy Hubs with Missiles and Drones

A n artilleryman of the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade, named after Hetman Danylo Apostol, of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, carries a cartridge as he prepares to fire a M777 Howitzer towards Russian troops. On December 25, 2025 , Ukraine launched a coordinated assault on Russian energy infrastructure, deploying Storm Shadow cruise missiles alongside long-range drones . According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the strikes hit the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region, one of southern Russia’s largest suppliers of diesel and jet fuel for the military. Multiple explosions were reported, and the facility was forced offline. In addition to the refinery, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed drone attacks on facilities in Temryuk and Orenburg . Fuel tanks in Temryuk caught fire, while a gas processing plant in Orenburg was shut down, further disrupting Russia’s energy output. Ukrainian officials stated that these operations are designed to undermine Russia’s milit...

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US holiday retail sales grow 3.1%, down from prior year -Mastercard



US retail sales rose 3.1% between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, rounding up a majority of the holiday sales for retailers, as shoppers looked for last-minute Christmas deals amid big promotions, a Mastercard report showed on Tuesday.

The increase is lower than the 3.7% growth Mastercard forecast in September, and has slumped from last year’s 7.6% as higher interest rates and inflation pressured consumer spending. Sales in the apparel and restaurant categories rose 2.4% and 7.8%, respectively, during the holiday shopping period, according to the Mastercard Spending Pulse report, while sales of electronics fell 0.4%.

Ecommerce sales grew at a slower pace of 6.3% from last year’s 10.6% as the popularity of online shopping came off pandemic highs, the report showed.

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