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FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to sources. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. The company was also likely to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major Turkish refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian assault comprising a large number of troops, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defences to counter Moscow's strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.