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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively considering sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main Turkish plants to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's sights for over a year as Russia aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” he declared, mentioning the sophisticated American defense systems. Without offering further details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, among them 2 children, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.