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Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he is not really considering sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Persist Without Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for December arrival, as per insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine'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 year as Moscow pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six people, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.