Donald Trump States He Is Not Considering Supplying Long-Range Cruise Missiles to Ukraine.

FormerPresident Trump stated on Sunday that he was not actively contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to market sources. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly all of the plant's supply in recent months, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was furthermore likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two main domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Russia's sights for more than a year as Moscow aims to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, referring to the advanced American defense systems. Without offering further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least 6 people, among them 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and 14, said the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.