Donald Trump Says He Is Not Planning Sending Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Kyiv.

Ex-President Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and key objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Russia, as reported by market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, according to two insiders. The company was also likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's assault comprising thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, among them 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.