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FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Buys

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also expected to soon completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, among them two minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.