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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and key objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, according to market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was also likely to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.