He dismissed FT’s report, which cited three anonymous sources, as “fake information,” denying that the United States had demanded Ukraine to refrain from striking Russian oil infrastructure.

Podoliak emphasized that Ukraine would not accept dictates on how to conduct the war after two years of the full-scale invasion. He stated that under international law, Ukraine has the right to neutralize the aggressor’s war capabilities, highlighting that fuel infrastructure is a key target.

On 22 March, the Financial Times reported that the US urged Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, cautioning that such actions could raise global oil prices and gasoline costs in the US, potentially impacting President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign. FT sources claimed these warnings were directed at senior officials in Ukraine’s Security Service and Defense Intelligence.

FT sources: US urged Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries

Since January, Ukraine has escalated its attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, targeting major refineries to disrupt the supply to the Russian army.  For instance, Ukrainian drones recently struck three oil refineries in the Samara region, focusing on Rosneft facilities. Another drone attack targeted one of the largest refineries in Yaroslavl.

The Insider’s analysis showed that in 2024, there were 15 drone attacks on 13 oil refineries in nine regions of Russia, resulting in significant damage to eight facilities, according to RBC Ukraine.

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