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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not seriously planning sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, according to industry sources. The country is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number 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 twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.