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Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not actively contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for December arrival, as per insiders. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian offensive involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering further information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, including 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes cut power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.