Donald Trump States He Is Not Planning Providing Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Ukraine.

FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not really planning supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has still managed to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western sanctions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for December delivery, according to sources. This amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was also expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major domestic refineries to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six people, among them two children, and cut electricity to thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.