🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was also expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit said some of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.