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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Without Missile Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, as per insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian assault comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had breached the city's defences, Kyiv said last week, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

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

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, including two children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks cut power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.