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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively considering supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per sources. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without providing further details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, among them two minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes cut electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.