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FormerPresident Trump stated on Sunday that he is not really contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the coast, causing a fire and damaging two ships, according to Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are following India's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand bpd, based on market information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was also likely to soon completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a year as Moscow aims to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.