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FormerPresident Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating sending Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Recent reports had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were ample to enable such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Russian military and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a fire and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Adjacent Russian airports in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, according to market insiders. The country is a significant buyer of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are mirroring New Delhi's example in reducing supplies.

STAR Plant Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December delivery, as per insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, amounting to about 210,000 bpd, based on market information. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkish refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary major domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian offensive involving thousands of troops, according to Ukraine's senior military leader. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for over a twelve months as Russia pushes to control the whole east Donetsk area.

Recent Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported recently, while analysts concluded that others were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the combat in the city and “results in the elimination of the occupiers.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the Patriot element of our national air defence,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Attacks Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian drones and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six people, among them two minors, and cut electricity to thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's human rights commissioner. The strikes cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk region as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.