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Ex-President Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not really contemplating supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Persist Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in 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 troops had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, including two children, and cut power to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.