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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not really planning providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had claimed the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Continue Despite Weapon Lack

While Ukraine has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic targets, such as oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing procurement of alternative crude in response to the latest western restrictions on Russia, as reported by market insiders. Turkey is a significant purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's example in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Diversifies Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired four cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210,000 bpd, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. Tupras was also likely to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at a key facility of its primary main Turkish plants to maintain petroleum shipments to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian offensive comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's sights for more than a year as Russia pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had penetrated the city's defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while analysts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense System

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Without offering additional details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Cut Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, among them 2 minors, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its members were killed in one of the enemy strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.