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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's military and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian 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 market sources. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, including two minors, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.