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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand bpd, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.