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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not really contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, according to sources. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, according to market information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, among them two children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.