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FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not really planning providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major domestic plants to continue petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.