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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not really contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Russia, as reported by market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed no fewer than six people, including two children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.