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FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not seriously considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian military and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing further information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two minors, and cut power to thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.