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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russia, it has still managed to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian offensive comprising thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering additional information, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, among them two children, 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 Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.