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FormerPresident Trump stated on Sunday that he was not seriously contemplating supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. After being asked by a journalist on his plane, he answered, “No, not at the moment.” Earlier reports had suggested the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable this transfer.

Ukraine's Defense Efforts Continue Despite Weapon Lack

Although Ukraine has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless managed to wage a effective campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key targets, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. This past Sunday, a Ukrainian airstrike hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two ships, according to Moscow officials. Adjacent airfields in the region also had to be shut down.

Turkish Oil Plants Shift to Non-Russian Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are boosting procurement of alternative crude in reaction to the recent international restrictions on Russia, according to market insiders. The country is a significant purchaser of Russian crude, together with Beijing and New Delhi, but processing companies are mirroring New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Refinery Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkey's refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), operated by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has recently purchased four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and additional non-Russian producers for year-end delivery, as per sources. These purchases amount to approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian supply, varying by shipment volume. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the plant's crude intake in recent months, amounting to about 210 thousand barrels per day, based on market information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Purchases

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras – was also raising acquisitions of non-Russian grades of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to soon entirely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary major domestic refineries to maintain fuel shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming restrictions. Tupras did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Eastern City

Ukraine has sent special forces to the embattled east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an fierce Russian offensive involving a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s top commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the entrance to Donetsk,” is located on a major logistical route for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a twelve months as Russia aims to control the entire east Donetsk region.

Latest Updates in the City

At least two hundred Russian soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Kyiv reported last week, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in the city and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Reveals Strengthened Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on this past Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air-defence network with Berlin's support. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” he declared, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing additional details, the Ukraine's president singled out Berlin and its leader, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than six individuals, including two minors, and cut power to thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The children were two boys aged eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The attacks cut power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58 thousand households in the south Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. The Eastern military unit said some of its personnel were killed in one of the enemy attacks on the region.