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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively planning supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for December delivery, according to sources. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Buys

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main domestic plants to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Russian offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 people, including two children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.