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FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not seriously considering sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and key objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. These purchases represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main Turkish plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Russian offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, including 2 children, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.