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FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not really contemplating providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two main Turkish plants to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault comprising a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Without offering additional information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, among them two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.