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FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not really contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on his plane, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Without Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and strategic objectives, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December arrival, according to sources. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including two minors, and cut power to thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, said the nation's ombudsman. The attacks cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.