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FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not really contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a year as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including 2 children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok army group confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.