Trump States He Isn't Contemplating Providing Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine.

FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not really planning supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian armed and key objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and damaging two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, according to industry insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, according to sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of alternative types of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also likely to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian assault involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had penetrated the city's defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's president singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Kill Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.