🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not seriously planning sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly all of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling about 210,000 bpd, according to market information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, among them 2 minors, and cut power to thousands of households, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.