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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's military and key objectives, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish plants to continue fuel exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.