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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Without Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, according to industry sources. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six people, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks cut power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.