Trump Says He Is Not Contemplating Sending Long-Range Missiles to Kyiv.

FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not seriously considering sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per sources. These purchases represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two insiders. The company was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main domestic refineries to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” he said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without offering further details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.