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FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not really planning sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two major domestic plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defences to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.