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FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively planning sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. In response to a query by a journalist on his plane, he responded, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier accounts had claimed the Pentagon informed the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Without Weapon Shortage

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and strategic objectives, such as oil depots and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by industry sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for December arrival, as per insiders. This amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, Russian crude accounted for nearly all of the STAR refinery's crude intake in October and September, totaling about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Alternative Buys

The other leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also likely to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its two major domestic plants to continue petroleum shipments to the EU without breaching the EU’s incoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's assault comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to control the whole east 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 additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the combat in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy declared, mentioning the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, among them two children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors aged eleven and fourteen, stated the nation's ombudsman. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk.