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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Despite Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary major domestic refineries to continue petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Russia pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering further details, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.