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Ex-President Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not seriously considering supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Without Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than six individuals, including two children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. The attacks cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.