🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not actively planning supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary major Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional 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 have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Without providing further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, said the nation's ombudsman. The strikes cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.