Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine will increase attacks on Russian oil refineries

Ukraine will intensify its strikes on Russian oil refineries in retaliation for a new Kremlin doctrine aimed at making Ukrainian cities uninhabitable this winter, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

Speaking in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence had obtained documents showing that Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorised military strikes on a much wider range of civilian targets. The strategy is reportedly designed to force people to flee the capital and other major urban areas ahead of the freezing winter months.

"We saw documents and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure, logistics, and especially to attack in the cities, in the villages, everywhere, roads, schools, hospitals," Zelenskyy said. "To pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities: this is the goal of the operation."

In response, Zelenskyy said Ukraine must strike back at the source of Russia’s war funding. "With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy. First of all, oil refiners," he said, while stressing that Ukrainian forces would not target civilian objects.

Geopolitical tensions over energy strikes

The decision to step up refinery strikes comes despite pressure from the United States. Last month, President Donald Trump’s administration urged Ukraine to stop targeting Russian oil facilities, warning that the attacks were driving up global diesel prices.

However, Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine has little choice but to respond as Moscow intensifies its aerial campaign. Over the past week, Russian drones and missiles have pounded Kyiv's energy and communications networks. For the first time, Russian forces have targeted the strategic bridges over the Dnipro River, which connect eastern and western Kyiv.

Six people were killed in Russian attacks on Saturday, which also damaged Kyiv's Northern Bridge, disrupting traffic for a third day. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was systematically hitting targets in retaliatory strikes, while urging foreign nationals to leave the capital.

New military tech and budget gaps

To counter the winter threat, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is deploying new military technology. Kyiv recently saw the first combat use of its domestically produced FP-7 ballistic missile, which has a range of 250 kilometres. A longer-range model developed by the manufacturer Fire Point, the FP-9, is reportedly capable of reaching Moscow and is expected to be ready this autumn.

Ukraine is also trying to offset a shortage of fighter jet ammunition used to shoot down Russian drones. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian F-16 and MiG jets currently destroy about 60% of Russia’s jet-powered Shahed drones, but stocks of 20mm ammunition are running low. To fill the gap, Kyiv is boosting its electronic jamming systems and expects to receive a shipment of cheap, specialized air defence missiles later in October.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's ground forces are continuing their "Vivaldi" counteroffensive, which Zelenskyy said has recaptured around 140 square kilometres of the eastern Donbas region.

To keep these operations funded, Ukrainian officials have worked with European partners to plug a $27 billion hole in this year's defence budget. Zelenskyy confirmed the gap would be closed using a combination of internal budget reallocation, bilateral assistance, and early access to funds from a €90 billion European Union loan.