🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

At least 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukraine killed at least 6 people, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. The attacks disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.