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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. This represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was also expected to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main Turkish plants to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.