Trump Says He Isn't Considering Supplying Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Kyiv.
FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not really contemplating sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a delivery.
Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack
While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.
Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources
Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.
STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement
A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.
Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases
The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic plants to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.
Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City
Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.
Latest Developments in Pokrovsk
At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”
Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence System
The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.
Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Power
Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine killed at least six individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.