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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Missile Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by market insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main domestic plants to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.