🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not seriously considering sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also likely to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Russia aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than six individuals, including two children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.