Trump Affirms He Isn't Considering Sending Long-Range Missiles to Kyiv.

Ex-President Trump stated on Sunday that he was not actively planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December arrival, according to sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, according to market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was furthermore expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic plants to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian assault comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 individuals, including two children, and disrupted power to thousands of households, authorities reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were male minors aged 11 and 14, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed some of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.