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FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not seriously planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had claimed the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but processing companies are following India's example in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, according to insiders. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, including 2 minors, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.