Ukraine has reportedly halted its strikes on Russian oil refineries, a move that comes after former President Donald Trump urged the country to refrain from targeting these facilities. The last assault on a refinery in Russia occurred on September 26, when the Ilsky refinery in the Krasnodar region caught fire.
Following this incident, only two oil depots in the Krasnodar area were attacked, indicating a significant shift in Ukraine’s military strategy. This cessation of strikes happened shortly after Trump’s comments.
Prior to this adjustment, Ukrainian defense forces had targeted six strategic oil refineries within Russia over the previous week, as noted by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. The key facilities hit include:
- Moscow Refinery, with a capacity of 12 million tons of oil annually, where major processing units were disabled;
- Perm Refinery, which processes 13 million tons of oil a year;
- Novoshakhtinsk Refinery, capable of 7.5 million tons per year;
- Bashneft-UNP Refinery, also at 7.5 million tons annually;
- Kuybyshev Refinery, processing 7 million tons of oil;
- Ilsky Refinery, with an annual capacity of 6.6 million tons.
Additionally, an attack was launched against the Iskra plant, which manufactures electronic components for Russian weaponry, including parts for guided missiles and the Pantsir anti-aircraft gun system.
According to defense officials, these strikes have caused millions of dollars in damages, impacting facilities located between 200 to 1,600 kilometers from the front lines.
In a recent address at the White House on October 1, Trump reiterated that the global fuel market’s challenges are primarily linked to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine rather than tensions in the Middle East. He remarked, “We are facing a shortage of diesel fuel as we lost diesel exports from Russia. The situation in Russia, driven by Ukraine, has emerged as a significant issue for diesel fuel supply.” This statement was shared through a video posted by the White House on YouTube.
Context
- Since the beginning of 2024, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on oil and gas facilities within Russia, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has no choice but to retaliate against Russia’s aerial assaults on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
- On September 13, Trump first urged Ukraine to stop destroying diesel fuel in Russia, claiming it harms the global market. However, experts consulted by The New York Times concur that while Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries impact the market, the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran is likely a more critical factor.
- The Kremlin welcomed Trump’s call for restraint.
- On September 15, Zelenskyy expressed his willingness for an energy truce with Russia, although he noted that the definition of “energy” differs for both Moscow and Kyiv. “For [illegitimate President of Russia Vladimir] Putin, energy means selling oil and gas. For us, energy means having electricity for our people,” he explained.
