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FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not seriously considering providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Persist Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, according to market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a year as Russia aims to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” he declared, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, including 2 children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.