🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by market sources. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary major domestic plants to continue fuel exports to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian assault involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six people, among them two minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.