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

FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not really contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a successful campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, according to market sources. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, according to sources. This represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, according to market data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely phase out Russian crude at one of its two main Turkish refineries to continue fuel shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's crosshairs for over a year as Moscow pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, among them 2 minors, and cut power to thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.