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FormerPresident Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on Air Force One, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had suggested the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow this delivery.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the recent western sanctions on Moscow, according to market insiders. Turkey is a significant buyer of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, as per insiders. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Buys

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative types of crude, as stated by two sources. The company was also likely to in the near future entirely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an intense Moscow's assault involving a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical route for the Kyiv's military and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Germany’s assistance. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he declared, mentioning the advanced American defense systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them 2 minors, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Moscow's military attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.