Trump States He Isn't Contemplating Providing Long-Range Missiles to Kyiv.

Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not actively considering supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, according to sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least 6 people, including two minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.