3 hrs ago
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Will Target Russian Oil Refineries
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, says Russia is attacking more kinds of places in Ukraine.
He says Ukraine plans to hit Russian oil refineries in response.
Zelenskiy says Ukraine will not deliberately attack civilian places.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry says its strikes are retaliation for Ukrainian attacks.
The article says fighting and air attacks are continuing, including in Donbas.
Ukraine is working on new ways to stop Russian drones and missiles.
Zelenskiy also says Ukraine and European partners have plans to help cover a large gap in its defence budget.
The article reports that peace talks have been discussed, but no date and place for technical-level talks had been set.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine would intensify attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow’s expanded airstrikes.
He said Ukraine’s intelligence services obtained documents describing a Russian policy allowing attacks on a wider range of infrastructure and civilian locations.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine would target energy sources supporting Russia’s war effort, but would not indiscriminately attack civilian objects.
He said a Ukrainian counteroffensive code-named Vivaldi had recaptured about 140 square kilometres in Donbas and was continuing.
Zelenskiy also described air-defence challenges, plans for new interceptor drones and missiles, and arrangements to address a $27 billion defence-budget gap.
- Who
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy; the Russian government is also discussed.
- What
- Zelenskiy said Ukraine would intensify attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to Russian airstrikes, while avoiding indiscriminate attacks on civilian objects.
- Where
- The conflict concerns Ukraine and Russia, including Kyiv and Ukraine’s Donbas region.
- When
- In an interview published October 3; the article does not specify the year.
- Why
- Zelenskiy said Ukraine needed to respond to Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure and what he described as a broader Russian targeting policy.
Ukraine’s account
Russia’s stated position
Purpose of Russian strikes
Ukraine’s account
Zelenskiy said Russian attacks were intended to pressure people into leaving Kyiv and other cities, and that intelligence documents showed a broader policy of targeting infrastructure and locations including schools and hospitals.
Russia’s stated position
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow would continue systematic strikes on targets as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russia. The Kremlin was not available to comment.
Attacks on civilians
Ukraine’s account
Zelenskiy said Ukraine would respond against Russian energy targets but would not indiscriminately attack civilian objects.
Russia’s stated position
Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians.
Russian activity in Europe
Ukraine’s account
Zelenskiy said Russian drone incursions and hybrid attacks in Europe were intended to intimidate people and weaken support for Ukraine.
Russia’s stated position
Russia called such accusations baseless and the result of anti-Russian hysteria.
Key facts
- Ukraine’s stated response
- Zelenskiy said Ukraine would step up attacks on Russian oil refineries and other energy sources supporting Russia’s war.
- Civilian targets
- Zelenskiy said Ukraine would not respond by indiscriminately attacking civilian objects.
- Counteroffensive
- Zelenskiy said the Vivaldi counteroffensive had recaptured about 140 sq km in Donbas and was ongoing.
- Drone interception
- Zelenskiy said Ukrainian fighter aircraft were downing around 60% of Russian jet-powered drones.
- Interceptor drone tests
- Tests of two Ukrainian interceptor-drone models had achieved a success rate of around 30%, according to Zelenskiy.
- Defence-budget gap
- Zelenskiy said Ukraine and European partners had worked on plans to address a $27 billion gap in Kyiv’s defence budget this year.
- Potential peace talks
- The United States had proposed resuming trilateral technical-level talks in the UAE, but no exact date or location had been set.
Quotes
Volodymyr Zelenskiy
President of Ukraine
“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. To pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities: this is the goal of the operation.”
theprint.in
“We have to respond in any way (we can). With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy. First of all, oil refiners etc: what gives money to them for this war. But we will not respond, of course, just like them, on any civilian objects.”
theprint.in
Sources
Related news
Zelensky Claims Putin Ordered Unrestricted Russian Air Campaign
Russian Drone Strikes Hit Kyiv After Zelenskiy-Trump Talks
Zelenskiy Warns Russia Is Preparing New Massive Attack
Ukraine Strikes Ufa Refinery as Russia Attacks Kyiv After Talks
Russia Strikes Ukraine Killing Eight as Trump Meets Zelenskiy
Russia and Ukraine Trade Strikes as Zelenskyy Seeks Energy Truce
Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Will Target Russian Oil Refineries
Russia to Take 70,000 Skilled Indian Workers This Year
Russia Warns Diplomats to Leave Kyiv, Vows Further Strikes
Ukraine War Talks Reportedly Expand to Multibillion-Dollar Lukoil Deal
