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Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and key objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also expected to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish plants to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, among them two minors, and cut power to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Vostok military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.