Donald Trump Affirms He Isn't Planning Supplying Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Ukraine.

FormerPresident Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not seriously planning supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian armed and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, according to market sources. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s sights for more than a year as Russia aims to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than 200 Moscow's troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's ombudsman. The attacks disrupted electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.