🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Without Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Russian military and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, as per sources. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its primary main Turkish plants to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. 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 army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.