Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that Ukraine will pay for strikes on Russian oil refineries, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Peskov was commenting on a recent interview with Reuters by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said Ukraine would increase its strikes on Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow's new policy of air strikes.
Ukrainian security and defense forces have disabled over 51% of Russian oil refining capacity, Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevgeny Khmara said, quoted by Ukrinform, BTA reported.
"Intelligence and analysts of the General Staff and the Defense Ministry assessed the results of the long-range strikes on Security and Defense Forces. More than half of the enemy's capabilities have been disabled. This is the result of carefully thought-out, planned and systematic actions aimed at bleeding the Russian military machine and destroying its military-economic potential," the minister said.
The Defense Ministry in Kiev notes that very recently Ukrainian forces have managed to hit oil refineries in Moscow, Yaroslavl, Perm, Ilsk, Saratov and Syzran, as well as the "Kirishinefteorgsintez" plant. and the Ust Luga refinery.
The consequences of the Ukrainian strikes do not always become immediately apparent, but they have a cumulative effect and subsequently their result becomes visible, the Ministry of Defense in Kiev pointed out.
"Fifty-one percent of oil refining capacity is a significant blow to the enemy's economy, its ability to carry out aggression and ensure the supply of its troops. Our deep strikes (strikes deep into the enemy's rear) continue to carry the war to the territory of Russia," Khmara emphasized.
It was previously reported that one of the priorities of the Ministry of Defense remains long-range drones, which allow targets to be hit deep inside Russia. This year, Ukraine has tripled production and purchases and plans to further increase its long-range strike capabilities, Ukrinform reports, adding that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country intends to step up operations against Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow's new tactic of massively attacking civilian infrastructure.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on claims by the “New York Times“ that talks between the United States and Russia to end the war in Ukraine have been expanded to include a multibillion-dollar oil deal, Reuters reported.
Peskov also said that energy cooperation was one of the topics discussed by Russian and American negotiators.
Over the weekend, “The New York Times“ wrote that the proposed deal would benefit Middle Eastern business leaders with ties to American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have traveled to Moscow several times for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.