🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively planning supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Without Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for December arrival, according to insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was also likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main domestic plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six individuals, including 2 children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.