Donald Trump Says He Is Not Planning Supplying Long-Range Cruise Missiles to Kyiv.

Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and damaging two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for December arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six people, including two minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.