Ukraine Vows to Keep Striking Russian Refineries Despite Trump Deal – FT

Ukraine plans to continue drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, despite a Trump-Putin deal that allows Russian diesel to be sold to the US and other nations, according to a report in the Financial Times. A senior Ukrainian official insisted that the United States should not pressure Kyiv to halt the strikes, emphasizing that Kyiv will target Russian energy infrastructure.

The Ukrainian official vowed that "we will burn [Russian] refineries." This stance comes as energy market analysts worry about Russia's capacity to meet the commercial commitments announced by the White House, citing the significant damage Ukrainian drones have inflicted on Russian refineries. Russian refineries are now operating at about 60% of their capacity due to strikes and other disruptions.

Michelle Brouhard, head of policy and geopolitical risk at energy intelligence firm Kpler, pointed out that Russia's main concern now is its refining problems, not the lack of diesel exports. According to Kpler records, Russia used to export 2.6 million metric tons of diesel fuel per month by sea before 2025, but this has dropped sharply since Ukrainian drone attacks began.

In July 2026, Russia imposed strict limits on petroleum product exports to avoid fuel shortages and inflation at home, effectively stopping most seaborne diesel exports. The US, which had not imported Russian diesel since July 2022 due to sanctions, is not a major buyer of Russian refined petroleum. Trump had promised to deliver 300,000 metric tons of diesel immediately, followed by 500,000 tons in November and a million tons thereafter.

However, the deal's success hinges on the condition of Russian refineries, as previously acknowledged by Trump. The US Treasury Department granted a license for transactions involving Russian diesel fuel until April 7, 2027, following the passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.