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Ex-President Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not really considering sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and key targets, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, according to insiders. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault comprising thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least six people, including two minors, and cut power to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.