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FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not seriously considering providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to continue petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s sights for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukraine killed at least 6 individuals, including two children, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.