Trump Says He Is Not Considering Sending Long-Range Cruise Missiles to Ukraine.

Ex-President Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not actively considering sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russia, it has still succeeded to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, according to Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December delivery, according to insiders. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two main Turkish refineries to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow aims to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in Pokrovsk

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 children, and cut power to thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.