🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he was not really contemplating sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, as per sources. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two major Turkish refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing further information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, among them two children, and cut electricity to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.