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Ex-President Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, among them two children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.