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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not actively considering sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for December delivery, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

At least two hundred Russian troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least six people, among them 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.