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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively considering supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

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

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was furthermore likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Power

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six people, among them two children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, officials reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.