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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not actively planning providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, according to sources. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally increasing acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 individuals, including 2 children, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.