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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the coast, causing a fire and damaging two ships, according to Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, among them 2 children, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.