🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to wage a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was furthermore likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Russia aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed at least six individuals, among them 2 children, and cut power to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.