🔗 Share this article Trump Says He Isn't Considering Providing Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine. Ex-President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not seriously planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this delivery. Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Lack Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Moscow's armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down. Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies Turkey's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports. SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Crude Sources A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to market data. SOCAR declined to comment. Tupras Also Boosting Alternative Purchases The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary major domestic refineries to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment. Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the whole east Donetsk region. Latest Developments in the City At least two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.” Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude. Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, including 2 children, and cut power to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.