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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and key objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to continue petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.