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Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not really planning providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main domestic plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defense,” he declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.