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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not actively planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are following India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also likely to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for more than a year as Moscow pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, including two children, and cut electricity to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.