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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively considering sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Without Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking 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, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to market insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but refiners are following India's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, among them 2 minors, and cut power to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok army group said a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.