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Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not actively planning providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, according to market insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also likely to soon completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for more than a year as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, among them two children, and cut electricity to thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.