Trump States He Isn't Contemplating Providing Tomahawk Missiles to Kyiv.
Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not actively planning sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a delivery.
Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage
While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.
Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources
Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following India's example in reducing supplies.
SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources
A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for December arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.
Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases
The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for comment.
Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City
Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.
Recent Developments in the City
At least two hundred Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”
Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System
The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to counter Moscow's strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.
Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity
Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes cut power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.