BlackMask Breaking News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said Russia must face consequences and Ukraine needs more force to end the war. “Russia must feel the consequences of what it is doing. Sufficient counteraction is needed to force them to seek peace,” Zelensky stated. He said Ukraine must rely on its army strength, its long-range strike capability and strong sanctions to pressure Moscow into talks. Zelensky claimed Ukraine recovered more than 132,000 foreign components from weapons made with parts from Europe, the United States, China and Japan, warning that unchecked Russian arms could threaten Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

Zelensky: Allies ‘wasting time,’ Russia sanctions needed

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that his country will “never surrender” amid “excessive demands” and sanctions from the West. “The West cannot stop us. They hit us in Natanz, but they are unaware that it is humans who built and will rebuild Natanz,” Pezeshkian stated in televised remarks. “Through the ‘snapback,’ they block the road, but it is the brains and the thoughts that open or build the road,” he added. The comments come after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) rejected a resolution to extend Iran sanctions relief, effectively approving the reimposition of “snapback” sanctions on the country on September 28.

Iran to suspend cooperation with IAEA

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said on Saturday that the country will suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in response to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) rejecting a resolution to permanently lift sanctions against Tehran. “Despite the [Iranian] Foreign Ministry’s cooperation with the Agency and the proposals presented to settle the [nuclear] issue, the actions of European countries have effectively suspended the path of cooperation with the Agency,” the SNSC, which is tasked with overseeing cooperation with the IAEA, stated.The sanctions are set to come into effect on September 28 after the three European signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from 2015 activated the so-called “snapback” mechanism and the UNSC failed to support extending the sanctions relief.

 

Every day we move closer to losing oil from major producers due to embargoes and escalating war. On the list of at risk oil supplies are:

Russia: 4,000,000 BPD

Iran: 3,259,000 BPD

Venezuela : 1,000,000  BPD

Iraq:  northern routes through Syria 2,500,000 BPD

Syria: 400,000 BPD

Total amounts of oil from or through war torn countries is 11,429,000 BPD. Of course not all of that oil is a risk.  But consider this world oil demand is around 100,000,000 BPD OPEC + produces  30,000,000 BPD or 30% of world oil consumption.  1/3  of that production comes from at risk suppliers listed above. Or 10% of world consumption.

Global spare oil capacity is only 5,000,000 BPD at best . With 3,000,000 of claimed spare capacity held by Saudi Arabia. Most likely the real number is half that

Punchline:  If just hall of oil embargoes proposed and threatened  take affect  the oil lost to the market will absorb total spare oil capacity and them sum.

backMask pod cast

 

 

United Nations Ambassador to Iran Amir Saeid Iravani (pictured) sharply rejected the Security Council’s decision on Friday to reactivate international sanctions on Tehran’s nuclear program. The measures, lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, will take effect on September 27 after nine countries opposed blocking the snapback mechanism. Calling the move “hasty, unnecessary, and unlawful,” Iravani said Iran bears no obligation to comply. He accused the United States, along with the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, of fabricating claims while shielding Israel’s attacks on Iranian facilities. “This act, with no consensus, weakens the Council, undermines diplomacy, and jeopardizes the non-proliferation regime. Iran’s nuclear program will not be destroyed by bombs, halted by sanctions, or diverted from its peaceful path. The door of diplomacy is not closed — but it will be Iran, not its adversaries, who decides with whom and on what basis to engage,” he stressed.

NN: Every day we move closer to losing oil from major producers due to sanctions and war.

Estonian airspace was violated by Russian military jets on Friday, European and NATO sources said. Three Russian military jets  violated NATO member Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes in an “unprecedentedly brazen” incursion, its government said,  The incident comes just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace on the night of September 9-10, prompting NATO jets to down some of them and Western officials to say Russia was testing the alliance’s readiness and resolve. The airspace violation comes three days after Russian and Belarusian military forces ended joint military exercises, called Zapad 2025. Tallinn said on Friday the three MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission and stayed there for a total of 12 minutes. “Russia has violated Estonian airspace four times already this year, which is unacceptable in itself, but today’s violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen,” said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.

European Council President Antonio Costa condemned Russia’s violation of Estonian airspace on Friday, assuring that the European Union “stands firmly in solidarity” with Estonia. In a post on X, Costa stated that Moscow’s move “is another unacceptable provocation” and added that the EU leaders will discuss a joint response to Russia’s actions at the European Council meeting in Copenhagen on October 1.

NB: why get in a rush.  Europe just does not get it… Russia is gunning for them

The official emphasized “the urgent need to reinforce our Eastern flank, deepen European defence cooperation, and intensify pressure on Russia.”

“Russia’s ever-increasing testing of borders and aggressiveness must be responded to by rapidly strengthening political and economic pressure.”

The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Estonia said it had summoned the top Russian diplomat in the country to lodge a protest and deliver a note. Estonian Defence Forces said the airspace violation occurred on Friday morning in the area of Vaindloo Island, around 100 kilometres (124 miles) from the capital Tallinn. The aircraft did not have flight plans, their transponders were not switched on and they were not in contact with air traffic control, Estonia said. “This could be a test by Russia to see how NATO responds to this type of challenge,  Godzimirski, a research professor in Russian security policy at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs,

NN: Escalation is the order of day

European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho announced on Wednesday that the commission has adopted the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. “As has been expected for a while, we can confirm that the commission has adopted a new 19th package of sanctions against Russia,” the spokesperson shared at a press briefing and added that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas will make a statement later in the day. Earlier this week, Von der Leyen announced that new sanctions on Russia will target cryptocurrencies, banks and energy, in order to increase economic pressure on Moscow.

NN: Too Little too late

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Russia continued attacking civilians despite “the whole world and above all the United States” calling for the end to the conflict. He added that it seems Moscow “is not hearing” US President Donald Trump’s calls to stop the “killing” and engage in diplomacy. On the other hand, Zelensky stressed that Kiev had already agreed to the US president’s initiative to begin talks with Russia. “This means that we must more actively implement everything that strengthens us: the PURL [Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List] program, co-production, and the finalization of security guarantees. On the table are large-scale agreements on drones and arms purchases that Ukraine has proposed to America. Decisive action is needed so that Russia will finally agree to diplomacy as well,” he elaborated. The president said 90 Russian drones attacked Ukraine yesterday and caused damage to the country’s transport infrastructure.

Ukraine: Russia launched 86 drones overnight

The Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shared on Friday that the Russian military launched 86 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight. “On the night of September 19, the enemy attacked with 86 Shahed, Gerber attack UAVs and other types of drones from the following directions: Kursk, Shatalovo, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk,” the Ukrainian military said in a post on Telegram. Moreover, the air defense stated that it managed to destroy 71 drones, and added that it recorded hits form the 15 UAVs at six locations.

NN: This is getting ugly

 

 

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently “shown his true face,” while stressing that the UK and the US are “working together to end the killing in Ukraine.”

“In recent days, Putin has shown his true face. Mounting the biggest attack since the invasion began. With yet more bloodshed and yet more innocents killed and unprecedented violations of NATO airspace … These are not the actions of someone who wants peace,” Starmer told a Chequers press conference alongside US President Donald Trump.

On his side, the US president went on to say that his Russian counterpart has “really let me down” over his efforts to end the Ukraine conflict. “I thought it would have been the easiest war to solve because of my relationship with Putin, but he’s let me down.”

 Weekly Petroleum Data for the week ending September 12, 2025

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) decreased by 9.3 million barrels from the previous week. At 415.4 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 5% below the five year average for this time of year. U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.4 million barrels per day during the week ending September 12, 2025, which was 394 thousand barrels per day less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 93.3% of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.4 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production decreased by 274 thousand barrels per day last week, averaging 5 million barrels per day. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 5.7 million barrels per day last week, decreased by 579 thousand barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.2 million barrels per day, 2.4% less than the same four-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 569 thousand barrels per day, and distillate fuel imports averaged 95 thousand barrels per day.At 415.4 million barrels, Total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 2.3 barrels from last week and are 1% below the five year average for this time of year. Both finished gasoline inventories and blending components inventories
decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 4 million barrels last week and are about 8% below the five year average for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventoriesincreased by 1.3 million barrels from last week and are 12% above the five year average for this
time of year. Total commercial petroleum inventories increased by 1.2 million barrels last week. Total products supplied over the last four-week period averaged 20.7 million barrels a day, up by 1.7% from the same period last year. Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 8.9 million barrels a day, up by 0.5% from the same period last year. Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 3.7 million barrels a day over the past four weeks, down by 1.8% from the same period last year. Jet fuel product supplied was up 1.1% compared with the same
four-week period last year

NN: The market was predicting a sharp increase in demand and inventories building. Instead we got a big drop in inventories,