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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not really planning sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December arrival, according to sources. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, among them 2 children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, officials 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 two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.