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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously considering supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, as per sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to two sources. The company was furthermore likely to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main domestic refineries to continue fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them two minors, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.