Ukraine continues to attack Russian oil refining facilities despite Trump's demands

Although U.S. President Trump asked Ukraine to stop attacking Russian diesel facilities, Ukraine continued to attack Russian oil refining facilities. President Zelensky issued a statement on the 1st saying that the Ukrainian army's deep strike operation the night before attacked Russian energy facilities and drone launch sites.

The British Guardian reported that Zelensky issued an article on the 1st saying that the Ukrainian army's overnight attack on an oil facility in the Samara state in southern Russia, a Russian ship in the Black Sea, and an attack drone launch and storage facility in the Oryol state in western Russia were also targeted by this wave of operations.

During a recent phone call with Zelensky, Trump urged Kyiv to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, and has repeatedly publicly blamed the global fuel supply shortage on Ukraine's attacks. Trump said on September 30, "The diesel supply is being hit harder, not by the Middle East, but by what's happening in Russia, because those diesel refineries are being damaged and shut down at a pretty alarming rate."

However, energy analysts believe that the war in Iran and wider supply disruptions in the global oil market are the main reasons for pushing up fuel prices, while Ukraine's attack on Russian refineries further tightened diesel supplies. According to Ukrainian estimates, the offensive in recent months has shut down more than 45% of Russia's refining capacity. Russia is the world's second-largest diesel exporter, but earlier this week it extended its diesel export ban until the end of October, further putting pressure on global diesel supplies.

Mykola Bielieskov, a military analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies (NISS), a Ukrainian government think tank, pointed out that as long as the Russian army continues to attack Ukraine every day, Kiev is unlikely to stop attacking Russian oil facilities. "While Ukraine is still being bombed and major cities continue to be attacked, Ukraine has no reason to continue to exercise self-control." "We must cut off Russia's income."