Donald Trump Says He Is Not Considering Sending Long-Range Cruise Missiles to Ukraine.
FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not seriously planning providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.
Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Despite Weapon Lack
Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and harming two ships, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.
Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Supplies
Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.
STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement
A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, according to insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR refused to comment.
Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys
The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major domestic refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.
Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City
Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.
Latest Developments in Pokrovsk
No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”
Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network
Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.
Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity
Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them two children, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on 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 eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.