Zelensky says Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries after U.S.‑requested pause
President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times that Ukraine will restart attacks on Russian oil refineries after a three‑day halt requested by Washington, saying Moscow kept hitting Ukrainian energy sites and killed more than 100 civilians in the past week.
Ukraine’s government is lifting its short‑lived restraint on Russian energy targets.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times that Ukrainian forces will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, ending a pause he said Kyiv observed for three days at Washington’s request. According to Zelensky, Russia continued to attack Ukrainian energy facilities during that period and, over the past week, killed more than 100 civilians.
A separate report from the Financial Times, cited by other outlets, described this as a resumption of refinery strikes after what had been presented as an energy ceasefire announced by Donald Trump. Ukraine now plans to return to targeting Russian refining capacity in response to the continued bombardment of its own power and energy infrastructure.
Zelensky has also linked any future halt in such strikes directly to Western air defence support. In comments reported by Ukrainian channels, he said Ukraine could pause attacks on Russian refineries again only in exchange for additional U.S.‑supplied Patriot missile interceptors, calling this the minimum requirement.
Ukrainian officials have described a difficult operating environment during recent Russian barrages, pointing to limited intelligence and deteriorating Starlink performance under heavy attack. That has made it harder to coordinate air defences and emergency response across the grid.
On the Russian side, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said Moscow will continue to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure despite American sanctions, signalling no intention to scale back.
Strikes on Russian refineries are intended to disrupt fuel production, force shutdowns and compel Moscow to divert resources and air defences away from the front. They can also affect Russia’s export capacity and add risk to global energy markets, even when physical supply is not immediately reduced.
For Western governments, the renewed Ukrainian campaign highlights a tension between supporting Kyiv’s response to Russia’s attacks and managing wider concerns about energy prices and escalation.
Key developments to track include the location and intensity of new Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, any change in Russian targeting of Ukrainian energy sites, deliveries of additional Patriot systems or interceptors, and how the Trump administration reacts to Kyiv’s stated link between air defence supplies and its refinery strike posture.
Sources
- OSINT