🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Russia pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, among them two minors, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.