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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not actively considering supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key objectives, such as oil depots 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 ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are following New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, according to market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Alternative Buys

The other leading Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely phase out Russian crude at one of its primary main domestic plants to maintain fuel exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Russian assault comprising thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's army and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Without providing further information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, including two minors, and disrupted power to thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.