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Ex-President Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not actively considering providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, according to sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.