Donald Trump Affirms He Isn't Planning Sending Long-Range Cruise Missiles to Ukraine.

Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not actively considering sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching strikes against Russian targets, it has still managed to wage a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to continue fuel shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian assault comprising thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a year as Russia aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, including two children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.