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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not actively planning supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Without Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also likely to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main Turkish plants to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine killed at least 6 individuals, among them two minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit said some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.