🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Without Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and key objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, according to insiders. This represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main domestic refineries to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering further information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, among them two minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.