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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its primary major Turkish refineries to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault comprising thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for more than a year as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, including two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.