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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously planning sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering further details, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two minors, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.