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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not actively contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian armed and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

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

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including 2 minors, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.