🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to continue petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian offensive involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than six individuals, among them 2 children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.