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FormerPresident Donald Trump remarked this past Sunday that he is not actively considering supplying Ukrainian forces with long-range Tomahawk missiles. In response to a query by a journalist aboard his plane, he replied, “No, not really.” Earlier reports had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that American inventories of Tomahawks were adequate to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Without Missile Lack

While Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still managed to wage a successful campaign using its own unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's military and key objectives, such as fuel storage facilities and processing plants. On Sunday, a Kyiv's drone attack hit the port facility on the coast, igniting a blaze and harming two vessels, as stated by Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Oil Plants Turn to Alternative Oil Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refining facilities are increasing procurement of non-Russian crude in reaction to the latest western sanctions on Russia, according to industry insiders. Turkey is a major buyer of Russian crude, together with Beijing and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back supplies.

STAR Refinery Diversifies Crude Sources

A major Turkey's refining plants, the STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijani firm SOCAR, has lately acquired four shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional alternative producers for year-end arrival, according to insiders. This amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels per day (bpd) of alternative supply, varying by shipment volume. By comparison, oil from Russia made up virtually all of the plant's supply in recent months, amounting to approximately 210,000 bpd, according to trade information. SOCAR declined to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Buys

The other major Turkey's oil processor – Tupras refinery – was also raising purchases of non-Russian types of crude, as stated by multiple sources. The company was also expected to soon completely eliminate imports from Russia at one of its primary major Turkish plants to continue petroleum exports to the EU without breaching the EU’s upcoming sanctions. The refiner did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian Sends Special Forces to Eastern City

Ukraine has deployed special forces to the heavily contested east city of Pokrovsk in an attempt to push back an intense Moscow's offensive involving thousands of soldiers, as stated by Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Russia's sights for over a year as Russia aims to seize the whole east Donetsk area.

Latest Updates in the City

No fewer than two hundred Russian soldiers had penetrated Pokrovsk’s defences, Kyiv reported recently, while military experts concluded that additional forces were advancing on its perimeter in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his nightly speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “results in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Enhanced Air Defence System

The president, who has been urging his allies for additional air defences to counter Russia’s attacks, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had reinforced its air defense network with Germany’s assistance. “We've strengthened the U.S.-made Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defense,” he said, mentioning the advanced U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not providing further details, the Ukrainian leader singled out Berlin and its chancellor, the German chancellor, for gratitude.

Moscow's Strikes Claim Civilians, Cut Electricity

Russian unmanned aircraft and rockets targeting Ukraine took the lives of at least six individuals, among them 2 children, and cut power to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on this past Sunday. Moscow's military struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, said the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages 11 and fourteen, said the nation's ombudsman. The attacks disrupted electricity to the whole eastern Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors said. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said some of its personnel were killed in a particular of the Russian strikes on the region.