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FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not seriously considering supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Without Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian assault comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering further details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, among them two children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.