Donald Trump Says He Is Not Contemplating Providing Long-Range Missiles to Kyiv.

Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Oil Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's lead in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for December delivery, according to sources. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary main domestic refineries to continue petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian offensive comprising thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s support. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” he declared, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not offering further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, including 2 minors, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.