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Ukraine Daily Brief
Current as of 0216 EDT (UTC-04), Friday 16 October 2026
Contents
10 stories from 45 sources across 35 organizations
KEY JUDGMENTS
Ukraine enters winter with no ceasefire pathway and mutual energy strikes escalating. A general ceasefire is very unlikely by November 30, as Lavrov flatly rejected any halt and Moscow dismisses the 60-day pause Kyiv conditions elections on. High confidence reflects consistent primary sourcing across five outlets. Ukraine has almost no chance of scheduling a presidential election by November 30. Kyiv is unlikely to halt refinery strikes by October 31, having conditioned any pause on Patriot deliveries Washington shows no sign of providing. Absent a shift in Lavrov's position, Washington lacks a mechanism to broker a temporary truce before year-end.
Patriot stocks, reported as short last cycle, now stand at or near zero after Ukraine intercepted only 4 of 39 ballistic missiles last week, and Starshield speed restrictions continue degrading drone operations. A US, NATO, or European government will likely announce new Patriot deliveries by October 31, and Russia will likely strike Kyiv's grid again before mid-November, observable in outages to at least 200,000 consumers. High confidence rests on multi-outlet reporting and a NATO official on record. Ukrainian drones will likely strike Russian commercial data centers again by end of October, extending four strikes in nine days on Yandex sites.
Armed Conflict
White House Order Limited Starlink Speed for Ukraines Military Disrupting Drone Operations
BLUF: Ukraine's drone operations now depend on a throttle controlled by an unnamed decision-maker who can reimpose restrictions at will, and public confirmation of the directed speed cap is unlikely by October 30.
Reuters reported on October 15, citing two U.S. officials and a Western official, that Pentagon leaders received a message from inside the White House directing them to slow SpaceX's Starshield service for Ukraine's military 123. The sources did not say who issued or implemented the order, and a senior U.S. official said the president made no such request 123. Kyiv Post reported that units lost connections while moving at 72 to 161 km/h, affecting interceptor and medium-range strike drones 3. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said connectivity was being restored for speeds up to 160 km/h. Ukrainian Defense Ministry sources told Kyiv Post and the Kyiv Independent that service was restored, though a drone-industry source said performance remained uneven 123. Musk wrote that the U.S. government controls Starshield's limits 3.
Analyst Note: Washington is unlikely to publicly confirm by October 30 that it directed a speed restriction on Starshield service for Ukraine's military. Confidence is moderate because reporting consistently describes an internal White House message, though a senior official denies any presidential request and Musk earlier said Washington controls the limits. Every outlet relays one Reuters account from anonymous officials, so no issuer is named and no primary reporting exists. Attribution has moved inside the White House, but the throttle may instead have been a Pentagon or SpaceX implementation choice, with the message merely relaying existing policy. Partial restoration to 160 km/h removes pressure to explain, leaving Ukraine's request for a 450 km/h interceptor cap without an identified decision-maker. Kyiv should plan for renewed throttling and hedge with non-US terminals, while Washington keeps its deniability.
Sources:
1: Order limiting Starlink access for Ukraines military came from within White House Reuters reports - Kyiv Independent
2: White House ordered limits on Ukraine's Starshield service - Reuters - BNO News
3: White House Ordered Ukraine Starshield Restrictions - Kyiv Post
Exclusive: Order to limit Starshield for Ukraine came from inside White House, sources say - Reuters (via Yahoo News)
Prior Reporting
Ukrainian Drones Strike Yandex Data Center and Warehouses in Third Consecutive Day of Attacks on Russian Tech Infrastructure
BLUF: Ukraine is likely to strike Russian commercial data centers again by end of October, compounding Yandex service degradation and signaling that civilian tech infrastructure is now a sustained target set.
Ukrainian drones struck targets across Moscow, Rostov, and Vladimir oblasts overnight on October 16, the Kyiv Independent reported, while stating it could not independently verify targets or damage 12. Monitoring channels ExileNova+ and SuperNova+ said Yandex's data center in Vladimir Oblast, about 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, was targeted; Yandex had announced a complete shutdown of operations there after strikes on the same site on October 11 12. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses destroyed more than 59 drones over the capital, and Russian opposition channel Astra reported flight cancellations at Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo airports 12. Rostov Governor Yuri Slusar said production and storage facilities were damaged and a fire broke out in Aksay, with Bataysk and Chertkovsky district also targeted 12.
Analyst Note: Ukrainian drones will likely strike a Yandex or other Russian commercial data center again between October 17 and October 31, 2026. Confidence is moderate: the pattern spans at least four incidents in nine days and Kyiv has tied it publicly to Russian attacks on Ukrainian internet infrastructure, but damage at the Vladimir site is unverified. All coverage traces to the Kyiv Independent and its syndication, a single derivative stream that itself cannot verify targets. The strike on Vladimir, which Yandex had already declared shut down after October 11, may be a repeat hit on a disabled site, and the wider raid may aim mainly to stretch Moscow's air defenses and airports. Yandex describes its remaining Cloud configuration as unstable, so further hits would degrade service to commercial and government customers. Operators and their government clients must move workloads and disperse sites, and a lapse in strikes would signal that Ukraine has shifted target sets.
Sources:
1: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Yandex data center warehouses in overnight attack on Russia - Kyiv Independent
2: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Yandex data center, warehouses in overnight attack on Russia - Yahoo News (syndicating Kyiv Independent)
Prior Reporting
Ukraine Resumes Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries Directly Defying Trump
BLUF: Kyiv is unlikely to agree to a new halt on energy strikes by October 31, having conditioned any pause on Patriot deliveries Washington shows no sign of providing.
Ukrainian drones set fire to a Rosneft refinery in Russia's Ryazan region overnight, Governor Pavel Malkov said on Telegram, as reported by The Moscow Times 1. Zelensky told the Financial Times on Thursday that "the block is out," ending a three-day pause Ukraine observed after Trump's Sunday "energy ceasefire" announcement 12. He said Russia kept striking Ukrainian power and fuel infrastructure during the pause, and Foreign Policy reported that Russian missiles left about 600,000 people in Kyiv without power on Wednesday 12. Zelensky also cited reported U.S. threats to withhold intelligence and new Starlink restrictions 23; he told the FT he would accept a halt only in exchange for more Patriot interceptors 1. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Kyiv never complied with the truce 1.
Analyst Note: Ukraine is unlikely to publicly agree to or announce a new halt on strikes against Russian energy infrastructure by October 31, 2026. Confidence is high because four outlets report consistently and Zelensky is on record that the block is lifted, though his quotes trace to a single Financial Times interview. Kyiv has priced any pause at more Patriot interceptors, so Washington must offer air defense or intelligence guarantees to reopen the question. Late September reporting showed Kyiv offering a pause only against Russian reciprocity, so the price has risen. Zelensky's refusal may instead be bargaining to extract Patriots and secure intelligence access, and a U.S. offer could bring a limited pause sooner. Trump's fuel-price pressure may produce sanctions relief for Moscow or tighter Starlink limits, hardening Kyiv. If no halt comes, European governments and oil traders should plan for continued refinery outages and tight Russian product supply.
Sources:
1: Ukrainian Drones Spark Fire at Ryazan Refinery as Zelensky Vows to Resume Attacks - The Moscow Times
2: Ukraine Resumes Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries - Foreign Policy
3: Zelenskyy Defies Trump, Orders New Russian Refinery Attacks - Bloomberg
Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian oil refineries as anger at Trump mounts - NBC News
Ukraine resumes attacks on Russian oil refineries, officials say, after brief truce - NPR
Prior Reporting
Lavrov Rules Out Ukraine War Ceasefire Says Pause Would Let Kyiv Rearm
BLUF: Lavrov's flat refusal to halt fighting effectively kills the election pathway Zelensky proposed, leaving Washington with no viable mechanism to broker even a temporary truce before year's end.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters in Baku on Thursday that there will be no ceasefire in Ukraine, saying a pause would let Kyiv recover and rearm 12. He was responding to Zelensky's offer to hold an election if the US secures a full Russian ceasefire for the 60-day preparation period and the vote, which Lavrov called unacceptable, according to Around Prague and RBC-Ukraine 34. The Kremlin has offered only a halt to strikes on election day 34. Lavrov also said Russia has received no official proposal on a reported four-point US-European peace plan, and called Zelensky's opposition to the US-Russia diesel deal a "rude" challenge to Trump, per Türkiye Today 2.
Analyst Note: Russia and Ukraine are very unlikely to both publicly agree to a general ceasefire of at least 30 days by November 30, 2026. Lavrov's refusal closes the election pathway Zelensky opened, since Kyiv conditions a vote on a 60-day full ceasefire while Moscow offers only an election-day pause. His claim that Russia has received no official proposal on the reported four-point US-European plan, and his warning that the armed forces will settle matters if talks fail, show Moscow expects no truce on current terms. Confidence is high because quotes are consistent across five outlets, including a primary report, though secondary outlets mostly relay Russian press material. Lavrov's stance may instead be bargaining meant to widen the US-Ukraine rift and win concessions such as asset unfreezing, and a short truce could follow if Washington pays. Partners should keep Patriot interceptor and Storm Shadow deliveries on schedule.
Sources:
1: Lavrov Rules Out Ukraine War Ceasefire - Kyiv Post
2: Lavrov says Zelenskyy's diesel deal stance a 'rude' challenge to Trump - Türkiye Today
3: Lavrov rules out Ukraine ceasefire ahead of possible elections - Around Prague
4: Ukraine-Russia ceasefire - Lavrov says there will be no truce - RBC-Ukraine
Lavrov ruled out the possibility of a ceasefire - Censor.net
Military
Ukraines Patriot Interceptor Stocks Reach Critically Low Levels With Reports of Complete Depletion
BLUF: Ukraine's ballistic missile defense is effectively exhausted ahead of winter, leaving critical infrastructure exposed until new Patriot interceptor deliveries arrive, which a US, NATO, or European government is likely to announce by October 31.
A source familiar with the situation told CNN on October 15 that Ukraine has run out of Patriot interceptors, and that almost all ballistic missiles in the latest Russian strike were not intercepted 12. A Ukrainian official told The Washington Post that 10 missiles remained as of October 7, were used in attacks, and "only a couple" are left, while a second person said the country is out 3. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the number remaining 4. The October 13-14 attack used 39 ballistic missiles against Kyiv's three heat and power plants, and Ukraine's Air Force said it intercepted four 14. A senior NATO official told the Post that Patriot Universal Recycle Launcher (PURL) deliveries continue, while the Ukrainian official said supplies have been irregular since May 3.
Analyst Note: Ukraine's ballistic defense is open ahead of winter, and Kyiv's heat and power plants will absorb further mass strikes until interceptors arrive, since only four of 39 missiles were stopped last week and Russia can plan around the gap. A US, NATO, or European government will likely publicly announce new Patriot interceptor deliveries or funding for Ukraine by October 31. Confidence is high, based on two independent primary outlets and a NATO official on the record that deliveries continue, though the accounts differ on whether stocks are zero or a couple. Production lead times of up to 36 months and Middle East demand point to European-funded PURL transfers, not new US stock. Kyiv may instead be publicizing the shortage to pressure Washington over refinery strikes. A dated delivery would let planners schedule grid protection, while silence would push them toward hardening power assets and seeking non-US interceptors.
Sources:
1: Exclusive: Ukraine runs out of Patriot interceptor missiles as Zelensky and Trump clash over war - CNN
2: Ukraine has run out of Patriot interceptor missiles, CNN reports - Ukrainska Pravda
3: Ukraine critically low on Patriot interceptors as Russian strikes intensify - The Washington Post
4: Ukraines Patriot interceptor stocks again reach critically low levels media reports - Kyiv Independent
Prior Reporting
Ukraine Says Neptune Missile Strike Damaged Six Russian Su-34 Aircraft at Borisoglebsk Airfield
BLUF: Ukraine's Neptune strike on Borisoglebsk damaged multiple Su-34s, but the operational impact on Russian glide-bomb capacity remains unclear absent independent verification or observable sortie-rate changes.
Ukraine's General Staff said Defence Forces units struck the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia's Voronezh region overnight on October 15, recording explosions and a fire and confirming six Su-34 aircraft "sustained varying degrees of damage" 1. Ukraine's Navy said it used the Neptune coastal missile system and claimed the six Su-34Ms were destroyed, along with aviation support equipment 23. President Zelensky said four were destroyed and two damaged 4. Ukrainian Telegram channels posted satellite images, and Exilenova+ compared them with an October 13 image showing six aircraft, concluding four were destroyed and two heavily damaged 5. The Moscow Times said the destruction could not be independently verified and Russian authorities did not acknowledge a strike 3. Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev reported air defenses intercepted 33 drones and several jet-powered aerial targets 3.
Analyst Note: Ukraine struck Borisoglebsk airfield and removed an unknown number of Su-34M aircraft from service, but how many were lost versus repairable is unresolved. Official claims diverge: the General Staff says six damaged, the Navy six destroyed, Zelensky four destroyed and two damaged. Every item traces to Ukrainian official statements, and the Telegram satellite comparisons come from partisan analysts, not commercial imagery vendors. Moscow's silence and the Moscow Times' lack of independent confirmation leave damage unverified. Ukraine may be overstating losses for information effect, and several aircraft could return to service after repair. Confidence is moderate because Ukrainian statements and amateur imagery agree an attack occurred but not on severity. Russian glide-bomb sortie rates over the coming weeks would show whether capacity degraded.
Sources:
1: Borisoglebsk airfield hit. Six Su-34 aircraft damaged - General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (X)
2: Ukraine destroys six Su-34M bombers at airfield in Russia's Voronezh region using Neptune missiles - Ukrinform
3: Ukraine Says Missile Strike Destroyed 6 Russian Warplanes at Voronezh Airfield - The Moscow Times
4: Ukraine destroys 4 Russian Su-34 bomber jets, damages 2 with Neptune missile, Zelensky says - Kyiv Independent
5: Satellite image shows six Su-34M bombers hit at Borisoglebsk airfield - Ukrainska Pravda
Ukraine Says Neptune Strike Damaged Six Russian Su-34 Aircraft - Defense Watch
Ukraine Takes Out 6 Russian Su-34M Bombers With a Single Airbase Strike, Navy Says - UNITED24 Media
Sanctions
22 US Lawmakers Press Trump to Fully Enforce Russia Sanctions Before October 18 Deadline
BLUF: Despite bipartisan congressional pressure, the Trump administration is unlikely to impose new Russia sanctions or secondary tariffs under the Graham Act by October 31, given the diesel deal signals policy movement in the opposite direction.
Twenty-two House members, 17 Democrats and five Republicans (Bacon, Fitzpatrick, McCaul, Newhouse, Wilson), signed an October 15 letter urging President Trump to fully implement the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 before its first deadline on October 18 123. Rep. Jim Costa's office said the letter was led by the Congressional Ukraine Caucus co-chairs Quigley, Kaptur, Fitzpatrick and Wilson, and asks for mandatory sanctions, secondary tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy, and action against shadow fleet operators and foreign banks 1. The Hill reported the signers were "particularly concerned" about the Russian diesel deal Trump announced last week, and Mezha, citing Ukrinform, said they want the license revoked and no new general licenses issued 24. The letter also asks for implementation details, tariff justifications, effectiveness benchmarks, and disclosure of any delayed or waived provisions by October 18 14.
Analyst Note: The administration is unlikely to impose new Russia-related sanctions designations or secondary tariffs under the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by October 31. Confidence is high: the letter text and six outlets agree on signers and demands, though they largely repeat one source, and nothing shows Treasury or State preparing designations. The diesel deal widens Russian energy trade channels, the opposite of what the tariff provisions require. Five Republican signers raise the political cost of delay but supply no binding mechanism. Pressure has broadened from Senate committee leaders to 22 House members and now targets the diesel license, yet the October 18 deadline is days away with no administration signal. A limited first package could still emerge if the diesel deal is a negotiating lever. Compliance teams and energy traders can keep current diesel and shadow-fleet assumptions, and the next test shifts to congressional oversight.
Sources:
1: Rep. Costa Leads Bipartisan Push for Full Implementation of Graham Russia Sanctions Law - Office of Rep. Jim Costa
2: 5 GOP House members join letter urging Trump to cancel Russia diesel deal, up sanctions - The Hill
3: Lawmakers urge Trump to fully implement Russia sanctions and tariffs by Oct. 18 - Inside Trade
4: 22 US lawmakers urge Trump to impose sanctions on Russia by October 18 - Mezha
Lawmakers urged Trump to impose new sanctions on Russia under the Graham Act - Censor.NET
22 US Lawmakers Press Trump to Enforce Russia Sanctions Ahead of Oct 18 Deadline - Kyiv Post
Lawmakers Invoke Lindsey Graham as They Demand Trump Revoke Russia Diesel Deal - Newsweek
Prior Reporting
Ukrainian Domestic
Trump Pressures Zelensky to Hold Wartime Elections as US Reportedly Restricts Defense Systems Access
BLUF: There is almost no chance Ukraine formally schedules a presidential election by November 30, 2026, as martial law, mass displacement, and Moscow's rejection of a ceasefire leave Kyiv without legal or practical conditions to hold a vote.
Ukrainian officials said this week that military-grade Starlink receptors stopped working on fast-moving platforms such as drones, and a Ukrainian Defence Ministry official said Thursday they again work in motion but only up to 100 mph 1. Reuters, via CNBC, cited two US officials and a Western official saying the order to slow Starshield came from inside the White House, without naming who issued it; a senior US official said the president made no such request 1. Elon Musk wrote on X that US military or presidential decisions set any Starshield limits 12. The restriction followed an October 9 Miami meeting where Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff pressed Ukraine over refinery strikes 1. Trump then called for Ukrainian elections and a new president, and Zelensky said Ukraine's people will choose their leader 13. Zelensky offered elections after a 60-day ceasefire, which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected 2.
Analyst Note: Ukraine's government or parliament almost no chance schedules a presidential election date by November 30, 2026. Confidence is moderate: outlets consistently report Kyiv rejecting a vote under martial law, but visibility into private US-Ukraine exchanges is thin, and the Starshield and Miami details trace to a single Reuters report, so sourcing is narrower than the outlet count implies. Martial law exempts Zelensky from holding a vote, officials and civil society call a free election impossible with millions displaced and strikes continuing, and Moscow's rejection of a 60-day ceasefire controls the condition Kyiv set. Starshield throttling and intelligence leverage may degrade Ukrainian drone and interceptor operations but do not remove those barriers. Kyiv could still announce a date quickly if Washington conditions weapons and intelligence on it, pairing the concession with a ceasefire demand. European partners should plan to backfill intelligence and connectivity capabilities.
Sources:
1: Order to limit Starshield for Ukraine came from inside White House: Reuters reports - CNBC
2: Will Trumps contempt for Zelensky force Ukraine to choose between an election and survival - Washington Examiner
3: 'Up to our people' to pick leader, Zelenskyy responds to Trump's pledge for new elections in Ukraine - Euronews
Energy
Russia Turns to New Tactics to Destroy Ukraines Energy Grid This Winter Including Ballistic Raids on All Three Kyiv CHPs
BLUF: Russia is likely to strike Kyiv's power grid again before mid-November, and the absence of early warning on ballistic launches will leave utilities unable to prevent prolonged heating-season outages.
Russia struck energy sites in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other regions on Wednesday with what its Defence Ministry called a "massive" strike, hitting two Kyiv heat-and-power plants, and Al Jazeera reported at least nine killed and over half a million without power 1. Zelenskyy said Ukraine received no early warning from partners about the ballistic launches and called the strike a violation of the "energy ceasefire" Trump announced Sunday 12. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)'s Schemes unit obtained an August 2026 Russian analytical brief listing 60 key targets, including nuclear and hydroelectric plants, and modeling cuts of up to 90 percent of power in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa 3. Ukrainian energy and defense-industry experts told Schemes the document is a requirements calculation, not an operational strike order 3.
Analyst Note: Russia will likely launch another combined missile and drone strike that cuts power to at least 200,000 consumers in Kyiv between October 17 and November 15, 2026. Confidence is high, resting on the demonstrated ballistic strike on Kyiv's heat-and-power plants, an August planning brief rating Kyiv's grid among the top targets, and no sign the "energy ceasefire" restrains Moscow. Because the 60-target brief appears to set munition requirements rather than strike orders, it shows the scale Moscow wants to reach over the winter, not a fixed schedule. Kyiv got no partner warning of the ballistic launches, so neither air defense nor utility crews can count on shortened outages, and heating-season demand magnifies each lost generator. The strike may instead have been a one-off show of force aimed at Washington's announcement, with Moscow holding back mass raids to keep US diplomacy alive. If raids resume, Ukrainian and European planners must prioritize mobile generation, interceptors and heating contingency for Kyiv; if not, they can shift resources to other cities.
Sources:
1: 'Massive' Russian attack on Ukraine kills at least 9, damages power sites - Al Jazeera
2: Ukraine received no intelligence from partners about missiles headed to Kyiv, Zelenskyy says - Euronews
3: Exclusive: A Russian Blueprint For A Cold, Dark Winter In Ukraine - RFE/RL
Russia turns to new tactics to destroy Ukraines energy grid this winter for good - Kyiv Independent
EU Accession
EU Opens 17 More Accession Chapters With Ukraine Covering Market Regulation and Competitiveness
BLUF: Opening four of six clusters shifts the binding constraint on Ukraine's accession from political vetoes to Kyiv's wartime capacity to transpose 17 chapters of EU market regulation.
The Council of the EU opened negotiating clusters 2 (internal market) and 3 (competitiveness and inclusive growth) with Ukraine at the fourth Accession Conference in Luxembourg on October 13 1. Eunews reported the clusters cover 17 of 33 chapters and bring the number of open clusters to four of six 2. Irish minister Thomas Byrne chaired for the presidency, with Deputy Prime Minister Vsevolod Chentsov leading Ukraine's delegation 1. Ukrainska Pravda and Eunews reported that member states agreed on October 12 after Ukraine's parliament passed education-law amendments addressing Hungary's minority-language objections 23. The Council has set benchmarks for provisional closure of the chapters 4.
Analyst Note: Ukraine's talks have moved from framework to substance: the 17 new chapters require Kyiv to align financial services, taxation, customs and competition rules with the acquis against Council-set closure benchmarks. The binding constraint shifts from Hungary's veto to Ukrainian administrative capacity and wartime fiscal limits. Budapest's price was a parliamentary education-law concession on minority-language teaching, so any reversal or disputed implementation would give it grounds to obstruct the remaining two clusters. A Commission proposal allowing qualified majority voting on some interim decisions would reduce single-state leverage if adopted. The opening may instead be largely procedural and politically driven, with real alignment and accession timing still slow and dependent on later Hungarian and member-state positions. Confidence is high: the Council's primary record matches independent accounts from Ukrainska Pravda and Eunews on clusters, chapter counts and the October 12 agreement, though Hungary's internal reasoning is not visible.
Sources:
1: 4th Accession Conference with Ukraine, 13 October 2026 - Council of the European Union
2: Ukraine on the path to EU membership: two negotiating clusters opened - Eunews
3: EU opens Clusters 2 and 3 in Ukraine's accession negotiations - Ukrainska Pravda
4: EU opens 17 more accession chapters with Ukraine on market and competitiveness - IEU Monitoring
COLLECTION GAPS
- No reporting on Russian mobilization numbers or force rotation appeared this cycle, despite persistent Ukrainian claims of high attrition rates near Pokrovsk and Kupiansk.
- IAEA updates on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant are absent from the intelligence picture. The agency typically issues regular monitoring reports, but none have appeared in open-source English-language press.
- Visibility into Ukrainian mine-clearance progress in liberated areas is limited. The gap is long-running and affects reconstruction timelines and civilian return planning.
- No fresh reporting on grain corridor operations or Black Sea shipping risk has emerged, despite ongoing Russian naval exercises and Houthi disruptions to global shipping insurance.
- Coverage of Ukrainian defense industry production and domestic arms manufacturing capacity is thin. Officials increasingly cite this area, but independent reporting is lacking.