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FormerPresident Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not actively contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter on his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two main Turkish refineries to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing further information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.