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Ex-President Donald Trump stated this past Sunday that he is not really considering sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to conduct a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, according to insiders. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Moscow's offensive involving a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's sights for more than a year as Moscow pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Civilians, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than six people, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. The attacks cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.