Donald Trump Says He Isn't Contemplating Sending Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine.
FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not really planning sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this transfer.
Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack
Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.
Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources
Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing imports.
STAR Refinery Expands Crude Procurement
A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR declined to comment.
Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys
Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.
Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk
Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.
Latest Developments in Pokrovsk
At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”
Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System
Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.
Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity
Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed at least 6 people, including 2 children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.