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Ukraine Strikes Russian Refineries Amid Global Fuel Crisis
Confirmed
In Short: Ukraine has launched a sustained campaign of drone and missile attacks on Russian refineries, disrupting Moscow's supply lines and exacerbating a fuel crisis.
According to the BBC, Craig Kennedy said, 'Ukraine's expanding campaign against Russia's supply network is seeing it move from targeting large refineries to smaller, local distribution networks.'
The attacks have put 51% of Russia’s refining capacity out of action, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
Russia supplies about 150,000 barrels of diesel a day globally, down 81 percent from its five-year average, due to its own export restrictions and damage to refineries caused by Ukrainian attacks.
US President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to halt these strikes, blaming them for creating a diesel shortage that he said was 'hurting the world.'
Trump's pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the attacks was reported by ANI, an Indian news outlet.
The Kyiv Post reported that Putin acknowledged the strikes, saying, 'Our adversary, unfortunately, thinks differently.' Putin also stated, 'I think we will restore the remaining 10% in the very near future.'
Some of Russia’s 32 refineries have been hit as many as 15 times since the start of the war, according to the International Energy Agency.
The attacks have forced authorities to restrict gasoline sales in Russia, and some refineries have been hit every three days in recent months.
The conflict began in February 2022, and Trump campaigned on ending the conflict within 24 hours of returning to the White House.
According to the BBC, some of the attacks have been carried out by the 413th separate battalion 'Raid' of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces.
The commander of the battalion, Yevhen Karas, told the BBC, 'It was a beautiful feeling when we can fly anywhere we want.'
The attacks have also led to the installation of 12 automated turrets in Kyiv to counter jet-powered Shahed drones, with more planned.
What this adds
The attacks on refineries have caused a cycle of damage and emergency repairs that could degrade units long term.
India has staved off a potential food crisis by importing enough urea and liquefied natural gas to enable domestic production of high-nitrogen fertiliser.
Background
According to analysis by Foreign Policy, Russia's use of advanced Iranian-supplied drones, capable of flying at speeds up to 375 miles per hour, aims to intensify the conflict.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding regions have killed at least 15 people, including three children, according to reports from Kyivindependent (Ukraine) and Transylvaniatimes (Romania).
What's confirmed
- "A large number of their Diesel refineries have been blown up and are, at least temporarily, out of commission. This ridiculous and never ending War with Ukraine must be ended. The whole World suffers as 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, are being killed each month."
- The Defense Ministry said Sunday that recent attacks on refineries in cities like Moscow and Yaroslavl have put 51% of Russia’s refining capacity out of action.
- “They started attacking oil refineries and openly declared the goal of damaging our economy. Did they achieve their goal. Partially,” Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai Club forum of international foreign policy experts.
- “Fifty-one percent of struck refining capacity is a significant blow to the enemy’s economy, to its ability to carry out aggression and supply its troop groupings. Our deep strikes continue to bring the war to Russian territory,” he said.
What's still developing
- 30, during their funeral, in Vyshhorod, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Friday, Oct.
- A senior Ukrainian official present during the discussion reported that Trump pressed Zelenskyy to command Ukrainian forces to suspend drone and missile operations against Russian refineries.
- Zelenskiy has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia.” He added, “There are plenty of other targets.
- The real problems started with a substantial increase in Ukraine’s targeted strikes on Russian oil refineries from around August 2025.
- The main reason: Ukrainian long-range drone and missile attacks on Russian oil refineries and gas complexes and Iran, likewise, targeting the energy infrastructure of Saudi Aramco, QatarEnergy and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
- "Russia has unfortunately lost control of its Diesel Oil Industry due to its War with Ukraine," he posted on Truth Social.
- “As long as the special military operation continues, there is only one response — strengthening the air defense system,” he added.
- Oil prices were 40 percent lower before the Iran war began, pointing instead to US military action in the Middle East as the primary reason for rising diesel prices, one that Beauchamp says “threatens to tip the world economy into recession”.
- In a statement shared on Truth Social on Monday, Trump asserted that Russia had “lost control” of its diesel sector due to the ongoing conflict, noting that multiple facilities had sustained damage and were temporarily non-operational.
- “There may be people under the rubble of the residential building that was hit. A search and rescue operation is underway,” Terekhov wrote on his Telegram channel.