🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not actively planning supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Without Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, according to insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.