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Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively considering supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and key objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December arrival, according to insiders. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also likely to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Without providing further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, including 2 children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.