Zelensky vows more refinery strikes as Russia signals escalation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would intensify attacks on Russian oil refineries, while Russia’s Defence Ministry announced it would step up strikes on military and defence-industry facilities in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine. The statements signal an escalation in attacks on energy and other infrastructure, though both sides’ descriptions of their targets and motives remain disputed. Zelensky said in an interview that Ukrainian strikes would focus on Russian energy infrastructure, particularly refineries that he said generate revenue for Russia’s war effort. He said Ukraine would not deliberately target civilian facilities. The pledge followed what Zelensky described as an expanded Russian campaign against infrastructure in Ukrainian cities ahead of winter. The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces would intensify attacks on military facilities, defence-industry sites and related infrastructure. It described previous strikes as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets inside Russia. Russia and Ukraine both deny deliberately targeting civilians.