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Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had indicated the Pentagon informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Russia aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Russian troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

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

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including two children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.