Ukraine rejects claims of Western pressure over attacks on Russian oil facilities
Ukraine will continue attacking Russian oil refineries, Kyiv vows
Ukraine has rejected claims that a series of strikes on Russian oil refineries risks alienating its Western allies, with senior officials in Kyiv insisting the country is well within its rights to target Moscow’s lucrative fossil fuels industry.
Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the office of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the government has not received calls from the United States asking Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Podolyak’s comments, forwarded to POLITICO by the office of Ukraine Energy Minister German Galushchenko, were in contrast to earlier reports by the Financial Times that the U.S. had urged the Eastern European nation to refrain from attacks on major energy infrastructure for fear of sending oil prices skyrocketing and prompting retaliation from the Kremlin.
Podolyak in comments first published by RBC-Ukraine called the report of U.S. criticism of the attacks “fake information” and said “Ukraine will destroy fuel infrastructure” in Russia.