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Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not actively planning supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's armed and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, including two children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.