Trump States He Is Not Considering Providing Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine.
FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a transfer.
Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Missile Lack
While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and strategic targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.
Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources
Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.
SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources
One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.
Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases
The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic plants to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.
Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City
Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.
Recent Updates in the City
No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”
Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network
Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.
Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Power
Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six individuals, including 2 children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.
