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Ex-President Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not really considering sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a delivery.

Ukraine's Military Actions Continue Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the latest international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end delivery, as per sources. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on trade information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. The company was also expected to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its primary major domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical line for the Ukrainian military and has been under Russia's sights for over a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for more air defense systems to counter Moscow's attacks, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Berlin's support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Without providing additional information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, including 2 minors, and disrupted electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. The Eastern army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.