🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a effective campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December arrival, according to insiders. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine killed at least six people, including two children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.