Zelenskyy: Ukraine Operations Against Russian Oil Industry Will Continue

Zelenskyy Pledges Continued Strikes on Russian Refineries as Energy Infrastructure Damage Mounts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Friday that ongoing operations targeting Russia’s oil refining sector will persist in direct response to unrelenting Russian attacks against Ukraine’s domestic energy infrastructure, lasi.lv reported.

While lasi.lv and LSM focused primarily on the presidential statement regarding retaliatory drone and missile operations, LSM reported simultaneous devastation inside Ukraine’s domestic economy, noting that Russian air strikes have severely crippled metallurgical plants and agricultural supply lines. According to LSM, the Metinvest Group facility in Kamjanska has faced prolonged closures following ballistic missile strikes, marking the first time in 70 years the plant has remained shut for such an extended period.

Infrastructure Losses Across Civilian and Industrial Sectors

Ukrainian authorities emphasize that the scope of Russian targeting extends far beyond military installations. “Our power plants, energy grids, heating, water supply facilities, civilian logistics — all of this is subject to constant Shahed and missile strikes,” Zelenskyy stated in remarks covered by both lasi.lv and LSM. The president added that Russian forces have abandoned de-escalation steps previously discussed with international partners.

LSM provided complementary economic data illustrating the broader domestic toll, reporting that the metallurgical industry previously accounted for approximately 6% of Ukraine’s gross domestic product before repeated bombardments forced widespread shutdowns. Agricultural exporters face equally acute pressures. Disruptions in Black Sea shipping lanes and bombed railway networks have driven down local market prices, threatening widespread corporate insolvencies in a sector that generates up to 60% of the nation’s foreign currency earnings.

Long-Range Drone Attacks Strain Russian Fuel Supplies While Peace Talks Stall

The military strategy executed by Kyiv since the autumn of 2025 relies on long-range drones targeting petroleum processing hubs inside Russia and occupied Crimea, actions that LSM notes have triggered domestic fuel shortages and supply bottlenecks for Russian forces. Despite recurring diplomatic talks involving Washington, the Kremlin, and Kyiv following Donald Trump taking office as U.S. president, those negotiations have yielded no formal ceasefire.

Zelenskyy referenced past humanitarian efforts, such as the operation in Oleškos, to underline that a cessation of hostilities remains entirely dependent on Moscow’s political will. “Ukraine does not need to be convinced that peace is needed as soon as possible. We want it. It is necessary for Russia to decide that the time of war has ended,” Zelenskyy stated, according to lasi.lv and LSM.