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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively planning supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent reports had indicated the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least six individuals, among them two children, and cut power to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.