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Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not actively planning sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Despite Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major domestic plants to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, among them 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok army group confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.