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Ex-President Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively contemplating providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Persist Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, according to Moscow officials. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Russia, as reported by industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Oil Sources

A major Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for December delivery, as per sources. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of alternative crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling about 210 thousand bpd, according to market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

The other leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore likely to soon entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to continue petroleum exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Moscow pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed at least six individuals, among them two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys of ages eleven and 14, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern military unit said a number of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.