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Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not actively contemplating supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, as per insiders. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary major domestic plants to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 children, and cut power to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.