Donald Trump Says He Is Not Contemplating Sending Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Kyiv.

FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively planning supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per insiders. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, according to market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Moscow's offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts concluded 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 the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” he said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.