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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two main domestic refineries to continue fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed at least six individuals, including two children, and cut electricity to thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks cut power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.