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FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Moscow authorities. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, as per sources. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative crude, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude made up virtually all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major domestic plants to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's offensive comprising thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, among them 2 children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages 11 and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.