🔗 Share this article Donald Trump Affirms He Isn't Contemplating Providing Long-Range Cruise Missiles to Ukraine. Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not actively considering providing Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter on his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had indicated the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery. Ukrainian Defense Efforts Persist Without Missile Lack Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down. Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Oil Sources Ankara's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Russia, as reported by market sources. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in reducing imports. STAR Refinery Expands Oil Sources A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for year-end delivery, according to sources. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to comment. Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases The other leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two major domestic plants to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement. Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area. Latest Developments in Pokrovsk No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.” Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks. Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 individuals, among them two minors, and cut power to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks cut power to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern army group said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.