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FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two ships, according to Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210,000 bpd, based on market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was also expected to soon completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to continue petroleum exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, among them two children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.