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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Despite Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's example in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for December arrival, according to sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish refineries to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian assault involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, including two children, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. The attacks cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok military unit said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.