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Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he was not actively planning providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful 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. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for December arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish refineries to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Russia pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.