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Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not really contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's example in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for December delivery, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering further details, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least 6 individuals, among them two children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged 11 and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.