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FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, according to Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian producers for December delivery, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major domestic refineries to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six people, among them two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.