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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Without Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Russia, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also expected to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault comprising thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Russia aims to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for more air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two children, and cut power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.