Donald Trump Affirms He Isn't Planning Providing Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine.

Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December arrival, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to two insiders. The company was also expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main Turkish plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Vostok military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.