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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not actively planning providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Without Missile Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative suppliers for December arrival, as per sources. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

The other major Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Russian offensive involving thousands of soldiers, according to Ukraine's top commander. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's troops had breached the city's defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least six individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.