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FormerPresident Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously planning supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to conduct far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still succeeded to conduct a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike struck the port facility on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

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

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end arrival, as per sources. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia accounted for nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to Europe without violating the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to counter Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Claim Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 individuals, among them two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, officials said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut power to the entire eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Eastern army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian attacks on the region.