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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. These purchases represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210,000 bpd, based on market information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two main domestic refineries to continue petroleum exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Kyiv's army 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 Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not offering further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, including two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.