Trump Affirms He Isn't Planning Supplying Long-Range Missiles to Kyiv.
Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a delivery.
Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage
Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.
Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources
Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.
STAR Plant Expands Oil Sources
A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.
Tupras Also Boosting Alternative Purchases
The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main Turkish plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.
Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk
Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's assault comprising thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a year as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk region.
Recent Updates in the City
No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”
Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network
Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without providing further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.
Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity
Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, including two minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages 11 and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.