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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for December delivery, as per insiders. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to continue petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian offensive comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, including two children, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.