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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he was not seriously considering providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had indicated the Pentagon informed the White House that American inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a successful operation using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a fire and harming two ships, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Moscow, as reported by market sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of oil from Russia, along with China and India, but processing companies are mirroring India's lead in cutting back imports.

SOCAR Turkey Refinery Expands Crude Sources

A major Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azeri firm SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other non-Russian suppliers for December arrival, as per insiders. These purchases represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210,000 bpd, based on market data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Likewise Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkish refiner – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of alternative types of crude, according to multiple sources. Tupras was furthermore likely to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish refineries to continue fuel shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Ukraine's top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical line for the Kyiv's military and has been under Russia's sights for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to seize the whole 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 military experts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been urging his partners for more air defense systems to hold off Moscow's attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy declared, referring to the advanced American air-defence systems. Without offering further details, the Ukrainian president singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 individuals, including two children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, officials said on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages 11 and 14, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit said some of its personnel were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.