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Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he is not really considering supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had indicated the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are following India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, as per sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210,000 bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two major Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than six individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and 14, said the nation's ombudsman. The attacks cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern army group confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.