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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not actively contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. The country is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to continue fuel exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six individuals, among them two children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, officials reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.