Trump Says He Isn't Planning Supplying Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Kyiv.
FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.
Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage
While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.
Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources
Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back supplies.
STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Sources
One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, according to sources. These purchases represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, based on market information. SOCAR declined to comment.
Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys
Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.
Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City
Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk area.
Latest Updates in Pokrovsk
No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”
Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network
Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.
Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power
Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern military unit said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.