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Ex-President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not really planning supplying Ukrainian forces with advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a journalist on Air Force One, he answered, “No, not really.” Recent accounts had claimed the Pentagon told the administration that U.S. stockpiles of Tomahawks were sufficient to enable such a transfer.

Ukrainian Military Efforts Continue Without Missile Lack

While Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute long-range attacks against Russian targets, it has nonetheless succeeded to wage a effective campaign using its domestically-produced unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic objectives, including fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil port on the coast, causing a fire and harming two ships, according to Russian authorities. Nearby airfields in the region also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Non-Russian Crude Supplies

Turkey's largest oil refineries are increasing purchases of non-Russian crude in response to the latest international restrictions on Russia, according to market sources. The country is a significant buyer of oil from Russia, together with China and New Delhi, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in cutting back imports.

STAR Plant Expands Oil Procurement

One of the largest Turkish refineries, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR), owned by Azeri company SOCAR, has recently purchased multiple shipments of crude from Iraqi, Kazakh, and additional non-Russian suppliers for December delivery, according to sources. These purchases amount to roughly tens of thousands of barrels daily of non-Russian crude, varying by cargo size. In contrast, oil from Russia made up nearly the entirety of the STAR refinery's supply in October and September, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, according to trade data. SOCAR declined to comment.

Another Major Refiner Also Increasing Non-Russian Buys

Another leading Turkey's refiner – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of alternative types of crude, according to multiple insiders. Tupras was also expected to in the near future completely phase out imports from Russia at one of its two main domestic plants to maintain petroleum shipments to the EU without violating the European Union's upcoming sanctions. Tupras did not respond to a inquiry for a statement.

Ukraine Deploys Special Forces to Eastern City

Kyiv has deployed special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an intense Moscow's offensive comprising a large number of troops, according to Kyiv’s senior commander. Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk,” lies on a key supply line for the Ukrainian military and has been in Russia's crosshairs for more than a year as Moscow pushes to seize the entire east Donetsk area.

Latest Developments in Pokrovsk

At least two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached Pokrovsk’s defensive lines, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while military experts assessed that others were closing in on its outskirts in a encircling movement. In his evening address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president mentioned the fighting in Pokrovsk and “successes in the elimination of the invading forces.”

Ukrainian President Announces Strengthened Air Defence Network

Zelenskyy, who has been pushing his allies for more air defences to hold off Russia’s strikes, stated on Sunday that Ukraine had strengthened its air defense capabilities with Berlin's assistance. “We've boosted the Patriot element of our national air defense,” he said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Not offering further details, the Ukraine's president specifically thanked Berlin and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Strikes Claim Innocents, Disrupt Power

Moscow's unmanned aircraft and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory killed at least 6 people, among them two children, and disrupted power to tens of thousands of households, authorities said on Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the office of the country's chief prosecutor. The victims were male minors of ages eleven and fourteen, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. The strikes cut electricity to the whole east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 households in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their governors announced. The Eastern military unit said a number of its members were killed in a particular of the enemy attacks on Dnipropetrovsk.