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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not seriously planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a successful operation using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. These purchases represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 people, including two minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.