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FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also likely to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering further details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged 11 and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Vostok military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.