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FormerPresident Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not actively planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Russia, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and India, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for December arrival, according to sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also likely to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than six individuals, among them two minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.