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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two major domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Russia aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, including 2 children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, said 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 governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.