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Smoke over a Russian refinery in the Ryazan region (photo from March 13): The fire was presumably the result of a drone attack

Photo: Alexander Ryumin / ITAR-TASS / IMAGO

Is Ukraine provoking retaliation with military strikes against Russian energy infrastructure far from the front and causing turbulence on global oil markets? According to a report in the Financial Times, parts of the US government are concerned about this. Kiev should therefore stop the attacks - according to the article, this request is said to have been made from Wahsington towards Kiev.

However, Ukraine does not currently feel compelled to change course. "We understand the statements of the US partners, but at the same time we are fighting with the capabilities, resources and practices that we have," said Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanischyna at the Kyiv Security Forum.

According to the FT report, the White House is increasingly frustrated by Ukrainian drone strikes that have hit oil refineries, terminals, depots and storage facilities across western Russia, impacting oil production capacity. The attacks were seen as “brazen”. According to the Reuters news agency, oil prices have already risen due to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Accordingly, the price has risen by almost four percent since mid-March, when Ukraine attacked several refineries.

The Financial Times report has not yet been officially confirmed. Energy facilities are legitimate military targets, said Stefanischyna. In the government, she is responsible for Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

The warnings come as Russia launches a massive wave of attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Several cities were without power on Friday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of acting like "savages." In total, Russia attacked with around 90 missiles and 60 combat drones. Zelensky expressed his condolences to the “families of those killed by this terror.” The massive attacks follow advances by pro-Ukrainian irregulars in the Russian region of Belgorod.

fek/Reuters