Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, defying U.S. President Donald Trump's calls to stop.

What it means

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced the resumption of strikes on Russian oil refineries, directly defying U.S. President Donald Trump's earlier request to stop such attacks. The decision, disclosed in a Financial Times interview, marks a significant escalation in Kyiv's strategy and a public rift with Washington.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim originates from a Financial Times article based on a direct interview with President Zelenskyy, making it a well-sourced, primary-account report. Multiple other reputable outlets (NBC News, Bloomberg, France 24) have independently confirmed the announcement, lending high credibility to the central fact.

How new

This story was published on October 15, 2026, and is genuinely new, reflecting a sudden policy shift by Ukraine that broke a three-day pause in refinery strikes.

Past coverage

We previously reported on October 7, 2026, that Ukraine threatened to hit Russian refineries in response to Moscow's new airstrike doctrine, and on September 25, 2026, that Trump was urging Ukraine to halt such strikes.

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