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Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he is not really planning providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December delivery, as per insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to soon completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major Turkish plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 individuals, among them two children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.