Zelenskyy Explained Why Ukraine Is Targeting Oil Refineries In Russia, Despite Trump's Request

• 3.11.2026, 11:30

The occupiers themselves violated the ceasefire.

Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries in response to Russia’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with PBS.

Zelenskyy was asked why Ukraine had resumed strikes on Russian territory, even though U.S. President Donald Trump had previously declared an “energy truce” and stated that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries were driving up global fuel prices.

“We were completely candid with President Trump when he asked us not to strike oil refineries. I replied, ‘Okay, we won’t do that if Russia stops attacking our power grid.’ But Russia violated this agreement several times. These were horrific, massive attacks—extremely cruel toward our people. We faced enormous problems with our power supply. That is precisely why we responded,” Zelenskyy noted.

According to him, Ukraine is targeting those Russian infrastructure facilities that are particularly painful for Moscow: oil refineries, gas facilities, and facilities related to diesel fuel production.

“We also asked President Trump to call Putin and urge him to support an ‘energy truce,’ since it was Trump who first proposed this. However, as far as we understand, the Russians were stalling. I spoke about this publicly: we will not attack their oil refineries,” said the President of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy added that he had hoped the Russians would eventually agree at least not to strike the Ukrainian power grid.

“But they continued to attack. They’ve been striking us all these days. And after four such days, we responded,” he emphasized.