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Ex-President Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's military and key objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Russia, as reported by market sources. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to continue petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's assault comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's sights for more than a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s support. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and 14, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.