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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and India, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was furthermore likely to soon completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major domestic refineries to continue petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Russian offensive involving thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them two children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Vostok army group said some of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.