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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's military and key targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not offering further information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, among them two minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.