Ukraine Asks to Ease Attacks on Russian Oil Refineries Amid Rising Prices Due to War in Iran, Says Budanov

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, disclosed in an interview with Bloomberg published on April 4 that foreign allies have called on Kyiv to halt its regular drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. This request is linked to the rapid increase in global fuel prices, which has been triggered by the war in Iran that has now entered its sixth week.

Oil prices have surged to unprecedented levels amid the escalation of the conflict in Iran, where energy facilities have become targets of attacks. As a consequence, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz—a vital waterway through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil supplies pass.

Budanov pointed out that Ukraine has received certain signals from its allies regarding the necessity to stop attacks on oil refineries in Russia due to the rising fuel prices. "Let’s respond to this diplomatically. We are receiving certain signals in this regard," he stated, without providing further details.

The head of the President's Office did not specify which countries had approached Ukraine with the request to suspend attacks. However, it is known that Ukraine regularly strikes military and industrial targets in Russia, including oil refineries, which are considered legitimate military objectives as they supply fuel and funding to the Kremlin's military machine.

In recent weeks, Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries have significantly intensified, with Russia reporting a record number of Ukrainian drones in its airspace. Simultaneously, along with the seizure of tankers from shadow fleets and damage to pipelines, Ukrainian strikes have led to a 40% reduction in Russia's oil export capabilities, which Reuters characterized as "the most serious disruption of oil supplies in modern Russian history."

The attacks over the past month have impacted production at two major Russian oil refineries: the Saratov Oil Refinery, one of the oldest in the country, and the Kirishi Oil Refinery, which produces over 6% of the total refined oil in Russia.

The increase in Ukraine's attacks on oil refineries coincided with the easing of sanctions on Russian oil in response to the war in Iran. On March 12, the United States issued a temporary license allowing countries to purchase Russian oil that is currently stranded at sea in efforts to stabilize global energy prices. During the first two weeks of hostilities in Iran, Russia reportedly earned an additional 6 billion euros (6.9 billion dollars) as oil prices exceeded 100 dollars per barrel for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Budanov did not provide any information regarding Kyiv's response to requests to suspend strikes on oil refineries. Meanwhile, Ukrainian military forces continue to report successful attacks on Russian oil facilities.

On April 3, the General Staff confirmed a strike on the Bashneft-Nova oil refinery in the Russian city of Ufa. This facility is one of the largest producers of high-quality lubricants in Russia, with a crude oil processing capacity of approximately seven million tons per year.