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FormerPresident Trump indicated on Sunday that he is not seriously planning sending Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk missiles. When questioned by a journalist aboard Air Force One, he replied, “No, not really.” Recent reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense informed the White House that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were adequate to allow this transfer.

Ukrainian Defense Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to carry out far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to conduct a effective operation using its own drones and rockets against Russian military and strategic objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Kyiv's airstrike targeted the port facility on the coast, causing a blaze and harming two ships, as stated by Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be shut down.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Crude Sources

Turkey's biggest oil refineries are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent western restrictions on Moscow, as reported by industry insiders. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but refiners are mirroring India's example in reducing imports.

STAR Plant Expands Crude Procurement

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently acquired multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to sources. These purchases amount to approximately 77,000 to 129,000 barrels daily of non-Russian supply, depending on cargo size. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in recent months, totaling approximately 210 thousand bpd, according to market data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Boosting Non-Russian Buys

Another major Turkish oil processor – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two insiders. The company was also expected to in the near future entirely phase out imports from Russia at one of its primary main domestic refineries to continue fuel exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner declined to comment to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has sent special forces to the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to repel an fierce Russian offensive comprising a large number of soldiers, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a key supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been under Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole east Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

At least 200 Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported last week, while analysts concluded that others were closing in on its perimeter in a encircling maneuver. In his evening address on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in the city and “results in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for additional air defense systems to hold off Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that the country had reinforced its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defence,” he said, mentioning the advanced American air-defence systems. Not offering additional information, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Russian unmanned aircraft and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of at least 6 individuals, including 2 minors, and cut electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities reported on Sunday. Russian forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to the representatives of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks disrupted power to the whole east Donetsk region as well as nearly 58,000 homes in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders said. The Vostok army group confirmed some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy strikes on the region.