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Ex-President Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not actively considering supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective operation using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and key objectives, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for year-end delivery, according to sources. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210,000 bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not offering further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, including 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.