Trump Says He Isn't Considering Providing Long-Range Missiles to Kyiv.

Ex-President Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really planning supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Persist Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December delivery, as per insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.