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Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand bpd, based on market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian offensive involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed at least six individuals, including two minors, and cut power to thousands of households, officials reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.