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Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively considering providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December arrival, as per insiders. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” he declared, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six people, including 2 children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.