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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously considering supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two ships, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions 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 example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for December delivery, as per sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was furthermore expected to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Russia aims to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them 2 children, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.