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FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not seriously planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, according to sources. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six people, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.