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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not really considering sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to allow such a delivery.

Ukraine's Defense Actions Continue Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Russian armed and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's lead in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. This amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was also likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its two main Turkish plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without violating the EU’s incoming restrictions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Russian assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Moscow’s sights for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to seize the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

At least 200 Moscow's troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Vostok military unit said a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.