Business

Ukraine to target Russian refineries in retaliation

By Sohail Khan 3 October 2026, 9:49 pm

Benchmarks
Nifty22,421.95-198.5

FEATURED FUNDS★★★★★

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct-Growth

5Y Return
19.6 %

Invest Now

Enter search text:

Business News›News›Defence›Ukraine will hit Russian refineries in response to Moscow's 'new doctrine' of airstrikes

Read Today's Paper

Ukraine will hit Russian refineries in response to Moscow's 'new doctrine' of airstrikes
Synopsis

Ukraine is set to enhance its attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to recent changes in military tactics. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy emphasized that civilian infrastructure would not be targeted during these operations. Ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensives have recaptured significant territory in the eastern Donbas region.

Zelenskiy says Ukraine will intensify attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow’s airstrikes, while avoiding civilian targets.<br> — Zelenskiy says Ukraine will intensify attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow’s airstrikes, while avoiding civilian targets.

Ukraine will double down on attacking Russian oil refineries in response to a new policy of airstrikes by Moscow designed to force people to abandon Kyiv and other cities, but will not target civilians, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Ukrainian intelligence has obtained documents showing that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had issued a "new doctrine" of military attacks on a much broader range of civilian targets ahead of this winter, Zelenskiy said.

"We saw documents and we know that they allow them attack infrastructure … logistics … roads, schools, hospitals, to pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities," Zelenskiy said. "This is the goal of the operation."

Counteroffensive in Donbas

Zelenskiy said an ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive, code-named "Vivaldi", had recaptured around 140 sq km (54 sq miles) of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, which Russia has said it must control in its entirety as a condition for any peace deal.

In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump's administration has sought to revive talks to end the four-year-old conflict – Europe's bloodiest since World War Two.

The US leader last month urged Ukraine to refrain from hitting Russian oil installations, saying that was sending global diesel prices surging.

But Zelenskiy, speaking as air raid sirens blared outside the gilded halls of the presidential offices, said he had received no indications from Russia that Putin was interested in peace talks, or discussing a ceasefire on energy infrastructure.

Also read: Putin says Russia will consider using full range of weapons in its arsenal if Kaliningrad is threatened

Over the past week, the Ukrainian capital has come under persistent attack by Russian drones and missiles targeting energy and telecoms assets, road and rail infrastructure. For the first time, Russia has targeted the bridges across the Dnipro river connecting east and west Kyiv.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine would respond to the change in tactics by Moscow, but would not respond in kind by targeting civilian infrastructure indiscriminately.

"We have to respond in any way (we can). With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy. First of all, oil refiners: what gives money to them for this war," Zelenskiy said in English. "But we will not respond, of course, just like them, on any civilian objects."

Support from Europe

After the Trump administration invited Putin to attend a G20 summit in Miami in December and discussed business deals with Russian envoys, Zelenskiy urged Washington not to normalise relations with Russia before ensuring a return to peace.

Zelenskiy said he would be happy to meet Putin for peace talks at the G20, but he warned the US not to believe in "illusions" that Russia would end hostilities if it gained control of Donbas.

"It's not fair just to normalise," said Zelenskiy, dressed in his trademark black T-shirt and military-style jacket. Any resumption of economic and diplomatic ties with the West had to be in return for peace, he said: "Because peace is more important than any kind of economy."

While the US has proposed a resumption of trilateral talks in the coming weeks in the UAE, Zelenskiy noted that an exact date and location for the technical-level conversations had not been set.

Ukrainian officials warn that Russia has stockpiled hundreds of ballistic missiles ahead of an expected winter onslaught against electricity and water infrastructure. Last winter, the worst of the war, Russian strikes left swathes of the country without electricity and heating for days at a time.

Since the summer, Moscow has also begun launching dozens of fast and relatively cheap jet-powered Shahed drones a day at Ukraine, whose air defences have struggled as its previous generation of interceptor drones were too slow to catch them.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine had been forced to rely heavily on its fighter aircraft – F-16s and MiGs – to down around 60% of the Russian jet-powered drones, but supplies of 20 mm ammunition for the planes were running low.

Kyiv was urgently working on other solutions – including boosting its jamming capabilities, he said. In the second half of October, it would receive the first shipment of small, cheap air defence missiles capable of hitting the new Shaheds.

Last week, Zelenskiy said Ukraine was developing five models of new interceptor drones capable of downing the jet Shaheds. Fresh from a meeting with his defence chiefs, he said tests on two of those models showed a modest success rate of around 30%.

"We'll have to scale it," he said. "I hope that with all these things, with all these elements, we'll find a way."

Ballistic threat

Ukraine announced the first combat use this week of its own domestically made ballistic missile – the FP-7, which has a range of around 250 km (155 miles).

Zelenskiy said he had called the manufacturer Fire Point to pressure executives to finish quickly a longer-range model, the FP-9, which the company has said could hit Moscow.

"I said to them, where is my FP-9?" said Zelenskiy, with a grin. "We need the FP-9. And the FP-9 will be (ready) this autumn, I'm sure."

Zelenskiy said a recent spate of Russian drone incursions and hybrid attacks in Europe were an effort to intimidate European populations and to divide support for Ukraine.

Some European leaders were starting to understand this, he said, and toughen their position.

Russia says such accusations are baseless and the result of anti-Russian hysteria.

After talks with European officials in Brussels this week, Ukraine had found funding to proceed with orders for drones that it needs to keep fighting at the start of 2027, Zelenskiy said.

Ukrainian officials had worked on a plan with European partners to plug a $27 billion hole in Kyiv's defence budget this year.

The plans involve a combination of the reallocation of Ukraine's own budget resources, bilateral assistance and using "money credits" from next year's portion of a €90 billion EU loan, Zelenskiy said.

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
Ukraine military airstrikesRussian oil refineriesZelenskiy response RussiaDonbas counteroffensiveUkrainian intelligence Putin doctrineenergy infrastructure attacksUS Ukraine relationsRussia drone attacksEuropean support Ukraine

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year