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FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not actively contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive involving thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Russia pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.