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Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for year-end arrival, as per sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, according to market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 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 pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering further details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six people, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged eleven 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. The Vostok army group said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.