Trump Says He Is Not Considering Sending Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Ukraine.
FormerPresident Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this delivery.
Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Without Missile Shortage
Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.
Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Sources
Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with China and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.
SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Sources
A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.
Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Buys
Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two main domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.
Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk
Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.
Latest Developments in Pokrovsk
No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”
Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network
The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.
Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity
Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The attacks cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.