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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also likely to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major domestic refineries to maintain fuel exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive involving thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Russia aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six people, including 2 minors, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.