Ukraine keeps hitting Russian refineries despite Trump’s diesel warnings

Ukraine is continuing long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries despite pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has urged Kyiv to halt the attacks and blamed them for worsening a global diesel shortage, The Guardian reported from Kyiv on 1 October.

Overnight targets

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Ukraine struck an oil facility in Russia’s southern Samara region overnight, and that a Russian vessel in the Black Sea and a launch and storage site for attack drones in the Oryol region were also hit. Trump has urged Zelenskyy in a private call to stop targeting Russian refineries and said publicly that diesel is “hurt much more… by what’s going on in Russia” than by the Middle East. US diesel prices have risen to record highs in recent weeks ahead of midterm elections.

Capacity hit and Russia’s export ban

Ukrainian estimates say the campaign has knocked out more than 45% of Russia’s refining capacity, contributing to fuel rationing and queues in some Russian regions. Russia, traditionally a major diesel exporter, extended its ban on diesel exports until the end of October. Military analyst Mykola Bielieskov of Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies told The Guardian Kyiv was unlikely to stop while Russia keeps bombarding Ukraine: “We need to deprive Russia of revenue.” Energy analysts cited by the paper argue the war in Iran and wider oil-market disruption remain the leading drivers of global fuel-price increases.