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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not actively planning providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Without Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.