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Ex-President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he was not really planning providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had indicated the Pentagon informed the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukraine's Military Efforts Persist Without Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russia, it has nonetheless managed to wage a successful operation using its domestically-produced drones and missiles against Russian military and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refineries are boosting purchases of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. Turkey is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are following India's example in reducing supplies.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Sources

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has lately purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for December arrival, according to sources. This represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, Russian crude accounted for virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 barrels per day, according to market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Purchases

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to Europe without breaching the European Union's upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian offensive comprising a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Russia pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least 200 Russian troops had breached the city's defences, Kyiv said last week, while military experts assessed that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our national air defense,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without offering further information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Moscow's Strikes Kill Civilians, Disrupt Electricity

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and missiles fired at Ukraine killed at least six individuals, including 2 children, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, said the office of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s attacks cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Vostok military unit said some of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.