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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really considering providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had indicated the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Despite Missile Shortage

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, together with China and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's lead in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210 thousand bpd, based on market data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two major domestic plants to continue fuel exports to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least two hundred Moscow's troops had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said recently, while military experts assessed that others 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 “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our national air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, among them 2 children, and cut electricity to thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.