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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not actively planning supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Persist Despite Missile Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Russian military and key objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's lead in reducing imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for December delivery, according to insiders. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was also expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main Turkish plants to continue petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Russian offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's sights for more than a year as Russia aims to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not providing further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least 6 people, including two minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s strikes cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.