🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not actively contemplating providing Ukraine 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. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with China and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to the EU without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.