Ukraine will significantly intensify strikes on Russian oil refineries in response to what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as Moscow’s new “military doctrine.”
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence had obtained documents revealing new Russian plans, which he said envisage devastating air strikes on Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities.
According to the Ukrainian president, the Kremlin’s objective is to pressure Ukrainians into leaving their homes, with Russia increasingly targeting civilian infrastructure as part of that effort.
“We have seen the documents, and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure, logistics, roads, schools and hospitals in order to put pressure on people to leave the capital and other cities. That is their goal. We must respond in every way available to us,” Zelenskyy said.
He said Ukraine would respond to Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure by targeting Russia’s energy sector, with oil refineries a particular focus.
“In response to their attacks on our energy sector, we must strike their energy sector. First and foremost, oil refineries — what provides them with money for this war. But, of course, we will not strike civilian targets, as they do,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president also said Russian President Vladimir Putin was seeking to project strength at a time when, according to Zelenskyy, Russian forces were losing ground in a significant sector of the front and suffering heavy losses.
