🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not actively considering supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and key objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two ships, according to Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December arrival, as per insiders. These purchases represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than six individuals, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.