Ukraine will double down on targeting Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow’s expanding winter airstrikes on critical infrastructure as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced.
Zelenskiy cited intelligence documents showing Russian President Vladimir Putin had issued a "new doctrine" authorizing strikes on civilian logistics, energy networks and bridges across the Dnipro river to force residents to abandon Kyiv.
"With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy first of all the oil refiners" Zelenskiy said, emphasizing that Kyiv will not target civilian objects.
The escalation comes despite attempts by US President Donald Trump’s administration to revive peace negotiations and request that Ukraine refrain from hitting Russian energy assets to prevent global fuel price surges.
However, Zelenskiy noted no genuine indication that Moscow is willing to engage in a ceasefire. The Russian Foreign Ministry described its strikes as retaliatory measures following Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory while denying deliberate civilian targeting.
Facing an influx of jet-powered Shahed drones and depleting air defense ammunition the Kyiv is accelerating domestic defense capabilities. Ukraine recently deployed its domestically produced FP-7 ballistic missile and expects a longer-range model, the FP-9 capable of reaching Moscow by autumn.
Additionally Kyiv secured European funding to cover a $27 billion defense budget shortfall for this year also ensuring continued drone procurement through early 2027 while advancing new interceptor technologies.
