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FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not really planning providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was also likely to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main Turkish plants to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Russia pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six people, among them 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.