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Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian offensive involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering further details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.