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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not seriously considering sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Russian officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry sources. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two major Turkish refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, among them two minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.