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FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not really contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the port facility on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 individuals, among them 2 children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.