KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian drones on Thursday hit more Russian oil facilities and set two oil tankers ablaze in the Sea of Azov, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture the Patriot air defense systems.
Ukraine's strikes on oil refineries and other infrastructure across Russia has triggered a widespread fuel crisis with gasoline shortages and fuel rationing reported in multiple regions and drivers waiting for hours to fill their tanks.
Early Thursday, a Ukrainian drone strike triggered a fire at an oil depot in the city of Tver in western Russia, according to acting regional Gov. Vitaly Korolyov.
And in the southern Stavropol region, Gov. Vladimir Vladimirov said oil reservoirs has been set ablaze by Ukrainian drones in Vyazniki. He said the authorities ordered the evacuation of residents of several apartment buildings near the facility as the fire expanded.
In the Sea of Azov, Ukrainian drones set two oil tankers ablaze, according to Rostov Gov. Yuri Slusar, who said that one of the ships was still burning and the crews were evacuated. The attack was the latest in a series of strikes on oil tankers in the area in recent days, part of Ukraine efforts to cut fuel supplies to Russia-occupied Crimea.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 73 Ukrainian drones from late Wednesday until early Thursday.
Ukraine's Air Force said that Russia fired 94 long-range strike drones and two ballistic missiles at Ukraine last night. While 72 drones were jammed or intercepted, 19 drones and both missiles inflicted damages at 13 locations, it said.
During Wednesday's meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot air defense systems to counter missile attacks from Russia in their more than four-year war, a huge coup for Kyiv which has long requested the technology.
The tone of their meeting was a markedly different from an earlier, acrimonious encounter at the White House in February 2025 when Trump berated Zelenskyy. On Wednesday, he praised the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to reach a deal to ending the war, saying he has “done an amazing job” and “been very effective.”
People look at a burning private enterprise following Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 9, 2026--
NIPPON KINZOKU CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Yasushi Shimokawa; TOKYO: 5491) and its subsidiary, NIKKIN DENJI KOGYO CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Kawaguchi, Saitama; President: Akira Nishimura), are launching a strategic sales initiative for their ultra-thin Grain-Oriented (GT Series) and Non-Oriented (ST Series) electrical steel strips under the brand name "Fine Eco Metal".
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260709899733/en/
"Fine Eco Metal" is a brand name for our proprietary "Eco-Product" series, certified based on our own environmental standards.
Background and Objectives: Addressing the "Shift to Electrification"
Amid the global movement toward a decarbonized society, there is an increasing demand for the electrification and higher efficiency of equipment. This has intensified the need to minimize energy loss (core loss), particularly in high-frequency ranges.
Leveraging years of proprietary rolling and advanced heat treatment technologies, we have successfully achieved both "unmatched thinness" and "superior magnetic properties" - a combination typically difficult to reach with conventional electrical steel. By positioning these products as "Fine Eco Metal," we aim to accelerate our solutions for customers developing next-generation technologies.
Product Lineup
1) Ultra-Thin Grain-Oriented Electrical Steel Strips: "GT Series"
By aligning the crystal grain orientation in a specific direction, this series delivers exceptionally high magnetic properties in that direction. Being significantly thinner (0.04mm to 0.10mm) than conventional grain-oriented strips, it dramatically reduces eddy current loss in high-frequency environments.
Applications: High-frequency transformers, reactors, pulse power supplies, magnetic shielding, etc.
2) Ultra-Thin Non-Oriented Electrical Steel Strips: "ST Series"
This series exhibits nearly uniform magnetic properties in all directions. It significantly suppresses eddy current loss within motors and demonstrates excellent low-loss characteristics across the high-frequency range of 400Hz to 20,000Hz, contributing significantly to higher efficiency and miniaturization of motor designs.
Applications: High-speed motors for drones, electric compressor motors, high-speed medical motors, cryogenic motors, etc.
Outlook: Contributing to Sustainable Manufacturing
Through the expansion of these products, we aim to empower innovative development in high-efficiency motors, next-generation power electronics, and high-frequency transformers.
Click here for more details.
https://www.nipponkinzoku.co.jp/assets/images/2026/07/20260709-En-Press-Release.pdf
About NIPPON KINZOKU Group
Our products have been used in a range of areas from the precision field to the construction industry. https://www.nipponkinzoku.co.jp/en/
By reducing the thickness of the electrical steel strip, eddy current loss (core loss) can be significantly lowered. Eddy currents are electrical currents generated within the electrical steel strip by alternating magnetic fields; they are a primary factor that increases core loss.
