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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and key targets, including oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Russian officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also likely to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to continue fuel shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian offensive involving a large number of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance 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 Moscow pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six people, including two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.