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Ex-President Trump remarked on Sunday that he was not seriously considering sending Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he responded, “No, not really.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Despite Missile Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets against Moscow's military and key targets, including oil depots and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the Black Sea, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in response to the recent international sanctions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a major buyer of oil from Russia, along with Beijing and India, but refiners are following India's example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Sources

One of the largest Turkish refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative suppliers for year-end arrival, as per sources. These purchases represent roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels per day (bpd) of non-Russian crude, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up nearly all of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Likewise Increasing Alternative Purchases

Another major Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also increasing acquisitions of alternative grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at a key facility of its two major Turkish plants to maintain petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the European Union's incoming restrictions. The refiner declined to comment to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed elite troops to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top commander. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply line for the Kyiv's army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Russia pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Recent Updates in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a encircling movement. In his nightly address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in the city and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defense Network

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to hold off Moscow's strikes, stated on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s support. “We have strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated American air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least six individuals, including two minors, and cut power to thousands of residents, officials said on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor. The children were male minors of ages eleven and 14, said Ukraine’s ombudsman. The strikes disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk region as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Vostok army group confirmed a number of its members were killed in a particular of the Russian attacks on the region.