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FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not really planning supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, as per sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually all of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also expected to soon completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged 11 and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.