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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he is not really planning sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a fire and damaging two vessels, as stated by Russian officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, according to market sources. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for December arrival, as per insiders. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. The company was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic refineries to maintain petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s support. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Without offering additional information, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including two children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes cut power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.