US helps Ukraine target Russian energy infrastructure, FT reports
The U.S. has been assisting Ukraine in conducting strikes on Russian energy sites for several months, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Oct. 12, citing unnamed Ukrainian and American officials.
Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities intensified significantly this summer, disrupting operations and worsening a nationwide fuel shortage.
According to the newspaper, U.S. intelligence has supplied Kyiv with targeting data for Russian major oil refineries and infrastructure far beyond the frontline.
American support reportedly extends to helping plan the flight routes, timing, altitude and tactics of Ukrainian drones, allowing them to evade Russian air defense systems.
Sources told FT that the U.S. is involved at every stage of operational planning, although Kyiv retains control over target selection, with Washington advising on target vulnerabilities.
According to the FT's sources, the move is also part of a coordinated effort to weaken Russian President Vladimir Putin's economy and pressure him to come to the negotiating table.
Ukrainian drones have struck at least 16 of Russia's 38 oil refineries since August 2025, according to the Financial Times, driving diesel exports to their lowest levels since 2020.
Kyiv has urged Western partners to tighten sanctions on Russia's energy sector, arguing that cutting Moscow's oil revenues would further undermine its capacity to finance the war against Ukraine.
Neither the U.S. nor Ukraine has officially commented on these reports.
In late September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that U.S. President Donald Trump backed Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy facilities, as Moscow resumed attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and continued hitting civilian areas.
Several media outlets reported in July that Trump asked Zelensky a month earlier whether Kyiv could strike Moscow or St. Petersburg if provided with long-range U.S. weapons. Zelensky allegedly replied that such an attack would be possible if the U.S. supplied the necessary weapons.
The news comes as Trump appears to be considering transferring Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, which would bolster Kyiv's ability to strike Russian military targets.
