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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not really considering supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December delivery, as per insiders. This 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 the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two major domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Without offering additional information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six people, among them two minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.