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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously planning supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian armed and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, according to sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main domestic refineries to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Moscow aims to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had breached the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” he said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. The attacks cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.