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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not seriously considering supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's military and key objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two major Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Not offering further details, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them 2 children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.