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Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main domestic plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.