🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary major domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than six individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.