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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not actively contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, according to market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, including two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.