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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not actively contemplating supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the port facility on the coast, causing a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Buys

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was also expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s sights for more than a year as Russia pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, among them 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.