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Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he is not really contemplating providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western restrictions on Russia, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main domestic refineries to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defense,” he declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, including two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.