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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major domestic plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 individuals, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.