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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Russia, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for more than a year as Russia aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed at least six individuals, among them two children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.