🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not really planning providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Russian officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but refiners are following India's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December delivery, as per insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukraine killed at least 6 individuals, including 2 children, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.