🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not actively planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, including two children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.