🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering further information, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including two minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok military unit said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.