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Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not actively contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s support. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” he said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing further details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.