Ukraine asked to ease attacks on Russian oil refineries amid Iran war price surge, Budanov says
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Ukraine's foreign allies have asked Kyiv to pause its drone attacks on Russian oil refineries as the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran drives up fuel prices worldwide, Presidential Office Head Kyrylo Budanov told Bloomberg in an interview published April 4.
Oil prices have skyrocketed amid the escalating war in Iran, which is in its sixth week. Energy facilities in the Middle East have been targeted throughout the conflict, while Iran has also shut down the Strait of Hormuz — a key waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply transits.
Budanov told Bloomberg that Ukraine has received requests from its allies to stop its regular campaign of strikes on oil refineries in Russia due to the price surge.
"Let's answer this diplomatically. We are receiving certain signals about this," he said, without providing additional details.
Budanov did not specify which countries had requested Ukraine pause its attacks.
Ukraine regularly strikes military and industrial targets in Russia with long-range drones, with oil refineries serving as frequent targets. Kyiv considers these facilities to be valid military targets, as they provide fuel and funding for the Kremlin's war machine.
Ukraine's assault on Russian refineries has intensified in recent weeks, with Russia reporting record numbers of Ukrainian drones in its airspace.
Along with shadow fleet tanker seizures and pipeline damage, Ukrainian strikes have led to a 40% drop in Russia's oil export capacity, which Reuters described as "the most severe oil supply disruption in the modern history of Russia."
Attacks over the past month have impacted production at two major Russian oil refineries: the Saratov oil refinery, one of the country's oldest, and the Kirishi refinery, which produces more than 6% of Russia's total refined oil.
The uptick in Ukraine's refinery strikes coincides with a relaxation of sanctions on Russian oil in response to the war in Iran.
The U.S. on March 12 issued a temporary license allowing countries to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea in an effort to stabilize global energy prices. During the first two weeks of fighting in Iran, Russian reportedly earned an additional 6 billion euros ($6.9 billion) as the price of oil surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Budanov did not provide any information about Kyiv's response to the reported requests to halt refinery strikes. He did signal optimism that the Iran war may end soon, according to Bloomberg.
The Ukrainian military, meanwhile, continues to report successful attacks on Russian oil facilities.
The General Staff on April 3 confirmed a strike on the Bashneft-Novoil oil refinery in the Russian city of Ufa. The facility is one of the largest producers of high-quality lubricants in Russia, with a crude oil refining capacity is approximately seven million tons per year.
