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Ex-President Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not really planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not really.” Recent reports had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and strategic targets, including oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to trade data. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, as stated by two insiders. The company was furthermore expected to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary major domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Russian assault involving a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's sights for more than a year as Russia pushes to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 people, among them 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of households, officials reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern army group said some of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.