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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not actively contemplating supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Without Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major domestic plants to continue petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.