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Ex-President Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not actively considering supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful operation using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two main domestic plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six people, including 2 children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks cut power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.