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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not really planning sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel 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 supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, including two children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.