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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously considering providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two insiders. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern military unit said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.