🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump stated on Sunday that he was not really contemplating sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December arrival, as per sources. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, 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 market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.