🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not actively considering providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Without Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and key targets, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Not providing further information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including two minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.