Ukraine is continuing its strikes on Russian oil refineries, ignoring Donald Trump, who says the attacks are making a global diesel shortage worse and driving up fuel prices. Overnight, Kyiv hit an oil facility in Russia’s southern Samara region, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday in a social media statement. The Ukrainian president added that a Russian vessel in the Black Sea was hit, along with a launch and storage site for attack drones in the Oryol region. In a private phone call, Trump urged Zelenskyy to stop attacks on Russian refineries, and he has repeatedly said in public that Ukraine’s strikes are to blame for the squeeze on global fuel supplies. “Diesel is really hurt much more, not by the Middle East, but by what’s going on in Russia, because those diesel refineries are being knocked out at a pretty alarming rate,” Trump said on Wednesday. Ukraine’s drone attacks have left Russia desperately scrambling for oil imports. Read more. Diesel prices in the US have risen to record highs in recent weeks, adding to cost of living pressures that have helped push Trump’s approval ratings to a career low before next month’s crucial midterm elections. Energy analysts, however, have pointed to the war in Iran and wider disruption to global oil markets as the leading drivers of the price increases. Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian refineries have nevertheless become an additional headache for Trump, with the attacks also contributing to tighter diesel supplies at a politically sensitive moment for the US president. According to Ukrainian estimates, Ukraine’s campaign in recent months has knocked out more than 45% of Russia’s refining capacity, prompting fuel rationing in some regions and long queues at petrol stations. Earlier this week, Russia – traditionally the world’s second-largest diesel exporter – extended its ban on diesel exports until the end of October, adding further pressure to a global supply crunch. 1:05 Zelenskyy at UN urges world leaders to end trade with Russia – video. Mykola Bielieskov, a military analyst at Ukraine’s government-run National Institute for Strategic Studies, said it was unlikely Kyiv would stop targeting Russian oil infrastructure as long as Moscow continued its daily attacks on Ukraine. “There is no rationale for Ukraine to continue exercising restraint while it is being bombarded and major urban areas are under constant attack,” he said. “We need to deprive Russia of revenue,” he added. Kyiv Independent editor: ‘Our readers want Russia to suffer but we can’t be propagandists’ Read more. Zelenskyy has been pushing for a US-brokered energy ceasefire with Russia, but Putin has shown little interest in the proposal, instead vowing to intensify strikes on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia has continued its deadly missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, targeting energy infrastructure, commercial warehouses and other businesses in an apparent effort to cripple the country’s economy and render Kyiv increasingly uninhabitable. A Russian drone struck a school in Kyiv on Thursday morning, but no one was injured because the children were sheltering in the basement, mayor Vitali Klitschko said. A key bridge in the Ukrainian capital was also hit, forcing authorities to suspend metro services and other public transport. Kyiv has experienced near round-the-clock Russian attacks in recent weeks, at times increasingly resembling a frontline city in what many see as the most challenging period for the capital since the early days of the full-scale invasion. View image in fullscreen. Emergency workers attend a damaged school in Kyiv after Russian drone strike. The children were sheltering in the basement. Photograph: Gleb Garanich/Reuters. Russia’s newer jet-powered drones have proved particularly difficult for Ukrainian air defences to intercept, with success rates significantly lower than for the slower Shahed-type drones. The sustained attacks have revived fears of another winter with prolonged power and heating outages, after similar strikes last year left partParts of Ukraine were left without electricity as temperatures dropped to as low as -20°C.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Ukraines Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries Despite Trumps Opposition
Beginner Questions
1 What is actually happening here
Ukraine has been using longrange drones to attack oil refineries inside Russia This is happening even though former President Trump has publicly pushed for a ceasefire and opposed strikes deep inside Russian territory
2 Why is Ukraine attacking oil refineries instead of military targets
Oil refineries are both economic and military targets They fuel Russias war machine and generate export revenue that funds the war Damaging them hurts Russias ability to fight and its economy at the same time
3 Who is Trump to tell Ukraine what to do
Trump is not currently the US president so he has no direct authority over Ukraines military decisions However as a major political figure his statements matter because the US is Ukraines largest military donor and future aid could depend on who holds power in Washington
4 Why would Ukraine ignore Trumps opposition
Ukraine sees the strikes as essential to its survival From Kyivs perspective limiting strikes on Russian oil gives Russia a safe haven to fund and supply its invasion Ukraine also wants to show it can fight on its own terms not just when Washington approves
5 Has this happened beforeUkraine defying US wishes
Yes Ukraine has previously struck targets inside Russia including the Kerch Bridge and refineries even when US officials privately urged caution The US has generally not cut off aid over these strikes
Intermediate Questions
6 What kind of weapons does Ukraine use for these strikes
Mostly domestically produced longrange drones such as the Liutyi and other models sometimes combined with Neptune missiles or modified Sovietera drones These are cheaper than Western missiles and can reach targets hundreds of kilometers inside Russia
7 How much damage have these strikes actually done
Estimates vary but Ukraine has hit dozens of refineries and oil facilities Some reports suggest Russia has lost 1015 of its refining capacity at times forcing it to import fuel and delay exports The damage is usually repaired but repeated strikes strain resources
8 Why does Trump oppose these strikes
Trump has argued that escalating attacks inside Russia could provoke a wider war including potential nuclear risks and complicate his stated goal of brokering a quick peace deal
