🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he is not really considering sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the port facility on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest western restrictions on Russia, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also expected to soon completely phase out Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault comprising thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine killed at least six individuals, among them two children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.