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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not actively considering supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still managed to wage a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without providing further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than six people, among them two minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 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 one of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.