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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously considering sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Russia, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Kyiv said last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.