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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously considering sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely phase out Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic refineries to continue petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for more than a year as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian troops had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six people, including 2 children, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.