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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not really considering sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and strategic objectives, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic plants to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for more than a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.