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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not really considering supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Despite Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, according to market sources. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was also likely to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including two minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.