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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not seriously considering sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Russia aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 individuals, including 2 children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.