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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously considering sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for December arrival, according to insiders. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, according to market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, including two minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.