Russia shifts oil production after refinery strikes - Zelenskyy says to keep up the pressure

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, Russia redistributed production by increasing output at facilities that were not damaged. He said this during a conversation with journalists, according to a LIGA.net correspondent.

“The Russians have lost more than 20% of their refining capacity and about 22–27% of their fuel production. We struck several refineries, and their output dropped. When they began restoring operations and saw long queues at gas stations, they redistributed volumes to other refineries,” Zelenskyy said.

“Therefore, our task is absolutely clear — to continue targeting those plants that have increased production, especially diesel,” he added.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the strikes on Russia’s oil refining industry are intended to deprive Moscow of funding for its war.

“This is their money for the war — from oil refining — so we are working on this,” he said.

• Since the beginning of August 2025, Ukraine has carried out at least a few dozens of strikes on Russian refineries. The attacks have led to gasoline shortages across many regions of Russia and in occupied territories. The Kremlin has been forced to impose restrictions on fuel exports until the end of the year.
• According to The Financial Times (October 12), the United States has been helping Ukraine carry out long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities for several months. The International Energy Agency expects the effects of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries to last at least until mid-2026.