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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously considering providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, according to sources. This represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main domestic refineries to continue fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without offering further details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six individuals, among them 2 children, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged 11 and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.