🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not actively considering supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major domestic refineries to continue fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering further details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, including two children, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.