← The President's Daily Brief
The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | November 14th, 2025: Kyiv Torches Critical Russian Oil Hub & Trump’s 'Southern Spear' Tightens the Noose Around Maduro
00:14:31
Loading summary
Transcript1 lines
- [00:00]
A
Looking to diversify and protect your hard earned assets. Well, schedule a free consultation with the Birch Gold Group. They're the precious metals specialists. Just text PDB to the number 989898 and you'll receive a free no obligation information kit. And you'll learn how to convert an existing IRA or a 401k into a gold IRA. Again, text PDB to 989898. Foreign 14 November well, look at that. We've made it through to the end of another week. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Kiev just hit one of Russia's most important Black Sea oil terminals with a significant drone attack, disrupting one of the biggest energy lifelines currently fueling the Kremlin's war machine. Later in the show, the Pentagon unveils Operation Southern Spear because is it really an operation if it doesn't have a cool name? Well, now you got one. Southern Spear is a new, or at least sort of new, task force aimed at dismantling narco terrorist networks across the Western Hemisphere. The announcement comes as President Trump receives an updated menu of military options against Venezuela. I'll have those details. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. Kyiv just unleashed one of their most consequential attacks on Russian oil infrastructure this year, part of their intensifying campaign to starve the Kremlin of their most vital source of wartime revenue. Ukrainian drones and missiles struck the strategic Black Sea port of Novorodziysk early Friday morning, crippling Russia's second largest oil export hub, one that moves a massive share of Russian crude to global markets. The operation hit multiple sites across the port complex, damaging fuel loading facilities and at least one vessel docked at the oil terminal, according to a report from Reuters. While we've been tracking escalating Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy sites for weeks, it's hard to overstate the impact of Friday's strikes. Novorozhiysk isn't just another port. It's one of Moscow's primary gateways for moving crude to India, China, and parts of southeastern Europe. And today's operation sent an immediate shockwave through that system. The attack sparked fires, triggered evacuations, caused Russia's state pipeline operator, Transnef, to temporarily halt crude flows through the facility and forced Moscow to halt seaborne oil exports. Energy analysts told Reuters that roughly 2.2 million barrels per day of capacity was disrupted. It's a volume that represents close to 2% of global supply. It was enough to spike global oil prices by more than 2% on Friday over fears of a supply shortage. Officials with the Ukrainian General Staff said significant damage was caused to, quote, valuable infrastructure at the port and oil terminal and that a Launcher from Russia's S400 air defense system was also destroyed in the attack. The officials added that the operation, which employed both attack drones and domestically produced long range Neptune cruise missiles, was part of efforts to reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor. In addition to the Black Sea port, Ukrainian officials said they also hid an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov region and a fuel storage facility near Engels. While Russian officials acknowledged the strike on the Novorossiysk port, they were quick to downplay the extent of the damage. But analysts said the attack will have profound ripple effects on Moscow's wartime economy. As we discussed earlier on the pdb, the latest attack comes in the wake of US Sanctions targeting Rosneft and Lukoil, which have already left nearly a third of Moscow's seaborne oil tankers sitting offshore with nowhere to go. Today's hit on Novorossiysk compounds that backlog, adding another chokepoint to an already strained export network. It's also worth noting that the Novorossiysk region has been under growing strain for weeks. Storms in the Black Sea and earlier Ukrainian strikes already forced Russia to reroute tankers and pause shipments. Today's strike, analysts say, could finally push the system to a breaking point, compounding the effects of US Sanctions that have left foreign buyers wary of touching Russian crude. Russia responded the way that it usually does by firing back at Ukrainian cities. Air defenses across Kyiv activated on Friday amid a massive Russian drone and missile barrage, which the capital's mayor described as one of the largest aerial attacks of the war. The onslaught involved roughly 430 Iranian made shahed drones and 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, which hit both the capital city and energy facilities in southern Ukraine. But unlike Kyiv's attack, it's worth noting that the Russians did not limit their targets to strategic energy sites. Russia's bombardment of Kiev indiscriminately targeted apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure, killing at least six people and injuring at least 34. The attack also damaged the Azerbaijani embassy in Kyiv. In a statement, President Zelensky denounced the attack and said, quote, only pressure with sanctions and strength can force Russia to end this war, a war that no one but them ever needed, end quote. He thanked Western allies for helping strengthen Ukraine's air defenses in recent months, but said it's not enough. Zelensky reiterated his request for additional systems and interceptor missiles, saying, quote, europe and the US can help. We are counting on real decisions, end quote. Despite the blowback on Kyiv, it appears Ukraine's strategy against Moscow's energy interests is working. Russia's refinery output is down. Export delays are mounting. And today, well, a vital Russian oil port was temporarily knocked offline. All right, coming up next, President Trump evaluates updated strike options inside Venezuela as the Pentagon announces a new mission in the Caribbean dubbed Operation Southern Spear. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, we've all seen those scary ads about owing money to the irs. You know what I'm talking about. Trying to basically frighten you into calling. But let me tell you about a different kind of company. They're called Tax Relief Advocates. Now, if you owe the IRS, whether it's 5,000 or 50,000 or 500,000, TRA, tax relief advocates has solutions to help you resolve your tax problems. The good news is that you can get help anytime. Simply by visiting tra.com they could reduce or even eliminate what you owe. Tra's team is passionate about helping individuals and businesses fix IRS issues. And they have over a thousand five star reviews on Google plus, an A plus rating with the Better Business Bureau. Look, you no longer need to be afraid of the irs. Generous programs are available to give you a fresh start and your tax troubles today by visiting tra.com again, that's tra.com tax relief advocates, real solutions for real people. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, it's that time of year. That's right. It's the one time of year that Birch Gold Group gives away free gold with every qualifying purchase. For Black Friday, when you convert an existing IRA or 401k into a tax sheltered IRA in gold, birch Gold will send free gold to your home for every $20,000 purchased. Look, gold started this year around $2,600 an ounce. By October, it was over $4,000 an ounce. And you ask yourself why? Well, mostly because of global uncertainty. 2025 has been defined by trade wars and real wars and general unease. And central banks are pulling away from the US Dollar as the global reserve currency. So the truth is, gold thrives in times of uncertainty like these. So if you're looking to diversify your savings, Birch Gold can help. Plus now through November 30th, get free gold with a qualifying purchase. Just text PDB to 989-898 to claim your eligibility. And for a free information kit on gold and your opportunity for free gold with purchases ends on November 30th, so don't wait. Text PDB to the number 989898 for all the details. Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. The Trump administration appears to be moving the US Closer to a potential confrontation with Venezuela as new reporting reveals updated strike options, expanding operations in the Caribbean and an increasingly muscular mission now branded with the name Operation Southern Spear. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth unveiled the name of the operation on Thursday, formally stating that the US Southern Command will lead a mission to remove narco terrorist networks from the Western Hemisphere. Senior officials describe the mission as both a counternarcotics campaign and a show of force aimed directly at Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his Cartel of the Suns. That's the regime linked drug network that Washington considers a national security threat. What's not clear, however, is whether the Operation Southern Spear label pertains to ongoing U.S. operations near Venezuela targeting narco smugglers which to date have killed at least 80 people, or whether it signals the start of a new expanded mission. That's according to a report from Axios, but deliberations are intensifying in the halls of the White House. Behind the scenes, CBS News reports that President Trump was briefed this week on new military options for Venezuela. Those options include airstrikes on cartel linked military sites, covert operations against regime assets, and most notably, limited ground raids targeting trafficking infrastructure near Venezuela's northern coast. The sources emphasize, however, that Trump has not yet made a decision on how to proceed. I'm guessing that those same sources did not emphasize that they probably aren't supposed to be talking about possible covert activity. As we've been tracking on the pdb, the Pentagon has positioned carrier groups and bombers and drones and marines and reconnaissance aircraft and special operators throughout the Caribbean. The unprecedented buildup has boosted the number of troops in Latin America to some 15,000, leaving of course, all options on the table. While announcing Operation Southern Spear, Hegseth declared that the Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood and that the US Intends to act like it. It's an unmistakable message to both Caracas and its foreign backers in Moscow and Beijing and Tehran, adding to the tension. Intelligence assessments shared with the White House confirm Maduro has been reaching out to Russia and Iran for military assistance, fearing an imminent U.S. strike. Russian lawmakers and state media have openly warned that the US Quote may be in for surprises. And as we covered last week, Moscow claims to have begun delivering air defense systems to Venezuela with hypersonic missiles still a possibility. U.S. officials are not commenting publicly on those claims. But it appears Maduro is hoping that foreign support will be enough to deter Washington's next move. Inside the administration, advisors are said to be split. Some argue that a targeted strike campaign similar to the early phases of U.S. operations in Syria and Libya could decapitate cartel infrastructure, weaken Maduro, and force a negotiated transition of power. Others warn that even limited action risks pulling the US Into a deeper regional conflict, especially if Russian or Iranian personnel are present at Venezuelan sites. There are also concerns about intelligence gaps. The cartel of the Suns is deeply embedded in Venezuela's security forces, and officials acknowledge that strikes on the wrong facility could kill civilians, triggering the kind of international backlash that the administration is eager to avoid. For now, it appears Operation Southern Spear will remain focused on maritime interdictions and aerial patrols. But the updated military options on the president's desk now suggest that Washington is at least considering expanding their operations. And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon bulletin for Friday, the 14th of November. Now if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the firsttv.com and I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't mention that the latest episode of our weekend show, the PDB Situation Report will be hitting the airwaves this evening at 10pm on the First TV. You can also catch it and past episodes on our rather amazing YouTube channel. Check that out on YouTube, of course, at President's Daily Brief, as well as on your favorite podcast platforms. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back over the weekend with the PDB Situation Report. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well you may have noticed, right it's now November and that means getting ready for Thanksgiving. Look, Thanksgiving. The great thing about it is it's one of the few times of the year when we can all slow down just a bit, gather as families and remind ourselves of what we're thankful for. And remember, please, no talk about politics or religion around the table. It's all about gratitude. Not just for the past, but for the future. And the excellent team over at Tritails Premium Beef, well they understand that perfectly. You have to check these folks out. There are fifth generation ranching family in Texas raising cattle the right way and shipping the beef straight to your door and in time for the holidays. Their thankful box was built just for this time of year. Delicious beef to feed your family and create the kinds of comforting meals that build a legacy. And let's be honest, nobody is going to be upset if there's a little less turkey on the Thanksgiving table and a little more beef. Maybe a lot more beef. Find it now@tribe beef.com PDB Again, that's tribe.com PDB.