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FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not really contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also expected to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major Turkish plants to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a year as Russia pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, among them two minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.