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FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not really contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and rockets against Russian armed and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to continue petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing further information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 children, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group said a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.