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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not really contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, among them 2 children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.