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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Without Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main Turkish plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, including two children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.