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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not seriously considering supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, as reported by market sources. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish refineries to maintain fuel exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including 2 children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.