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FormerPresident Trump stated this past Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter on his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Recent accounts had suggested the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to allow this delivery.

Ukrainian Defense Actions Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russia, it has still managed to conduct a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack struck the port facility on the coast, igniting a fire and damaging two vessels, according to Russian officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Turn to Non-Russian Oil Sources

Ankara's largest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major purchaser of Russian crude, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for December arrival, as per insiders. This represent roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, depending on cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also increasing purchases of alternative grades of crude, according to two insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary main Turkish plants to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed elite troops to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, according to Kyiv’s top commander. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a major logistical route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's sights for over a year as Moscow pushes to seize the entire eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian troops had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials said last week, while military experts concluded that others were advancing on its outskirts in a encircling maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Enhanced Air Defence Network

The president, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's support. “We have boosted the Patriot component of our national air defense,” he declared, referring to the advanced U.S.-made defense systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian president specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six people, among them 2 children, and cut power to thousands of households, authorities reported on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The victims were two boys aged 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Vostok army group said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on the region.