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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. The company was also likely to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish refineries to continue fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “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 twelve months as Russia aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.