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Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is not actively considering supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter on his plane, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had suggested the Pentagon told the White House that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Continue Without Weapon Shortage

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to conduct long-range strikes against Russia, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a successful operation using its own drones and missiles against Russian armed and key targets, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, according to Russian authorities. Nearby Russian airports in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Supplies

Ankara's biggest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Russia, according to market sources. The country is a major buyer of Russian crude, along with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring India's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azerbaijani company SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraq, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases amount to roughly 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in October and September, amounting to approximately 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR declined to provide a statement.

Another Major Refiner Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, as stated by two insiders. Tupras was furthermore likely to in the near future completely eliminate Russian crude at one of its two main domestic plants to continue fuel shipments to Europe without violating the EU’s incoming sanctions. Tupras declined to comment to a inquiry for comment.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent elite troops to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to repel an intense Russian assault involving thousands of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s top commander. The city, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” is located on a major supply route for the Kyiv's military and has been under Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Moscow pushes to control the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than 200 Russian soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv said last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his nightly speech on this past Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the occupiers.”

Ukrainian President Reveals Enhanced Air Defence System

Zelenskyy, who has been urging his partners for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s strikes, announced on this past Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air-defence capabilities with Germany’s assistance. “We have boosted the U.S.-made Patriot element of our national air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated American defense systems. Not offering additional details, the Ukrainian president singled out Germany and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for thanks.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukraine took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s ombudsman. Russia’s attacks disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk area as well as nearly 58 thousand homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok military unit said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the enemy strikes on the region.