🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not really considering supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following India's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic refineries to maintain fuel exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault comprising thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.