🔗 Share this article

FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not really contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had indicated the Pentagon told the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, causing a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue petroleum exports to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian offensive comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, among them two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.