Donald Trump Affirms He Isn't Contemplating Providing Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine.
Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.
Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Without Missile Shortage
While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.
Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies
Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.
STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement
A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December arrival, as per sources. These purchases represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.
Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys
The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. Tupras was also likely to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.
Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk
Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's sights for more than a year as Moscow pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.
Latest Developments in the City
At least 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”
Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System
Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.
Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity
Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit said some of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.