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FormerPresident Trump indicated this past Sunday that he was not actively contemplating providing Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. When questioned by a reporter on his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to allow such a transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Persist Despite Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been seeking Tomahawk missiles to carry out long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has still managed to conduct a effective campaign using its domestically-produced drones and rockets against Russian armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack struck the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and damaging two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkish Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the recent western restrictions on Russia, according to industry sources. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are following India's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other non-Russian producers for December arrival, as per sources. This represent approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's crude intake in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, based on market information. SOCAR refused to provide a statement.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian types of crude, according to multiple sources. The company was also likely to soon completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary major Turkish plants to maintain fuel exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Pokrovsk

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Moscow's assault involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical route for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow aims to control the whole eastern Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

At least 200 Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said recently, while military experts assessed that additional forces were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defense Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his partners for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's assistance. “We have strengthened the Patriot element of our national air defense,” he said, mentioning the sophisticated U.S.-made defense systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukraine's leader singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Strikes Kill Civilians, Cut Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine killed no fewer than 6 people, including 2 children, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, officials reported on Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and 14, said the nation's human rights commissioner. The attacks cut electricity to the entire east Donetsk region as well as almost 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.