Trump Affirms He Isn't Considering Sending Tomahawk Missiles to Kyiv.
Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really considering sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.
Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Shortage
Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.
Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources
Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's example in reducing imports.
SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Sources
A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. This represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.
Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases
Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two major Turkish plants to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.
Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City
Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.
Latest Updates in the City
At least 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”
Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network
The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing further details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.
Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity
Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them two children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.