Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Refineries as Trump Demands New EU Sanctions

Ukraine’s Strategic Campaign Against Russian Oil Infrastructure

Ukraine has significantly escalated its efforts to disrupt Russia’s oil export revenue by targeting key refining and pipeline assets. This campaign has been bolstered by the use of long-range drones and missiles, allowing Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory. Over the past month and a half, nearly half of Russia’s oil product production capacity has been hit, marking a major shift in the conflict.

One of the most notable attacks occurred on September 11-12 when over 30 Ukrainian drones targeted the Primorsk oil terminal. As one of Russia’s largest oil terminals, Primorsk plays a crucial role in exporting Siberian crude oil via the Baltic Pipeline System. The facility can handle up to 58 million tonnes of oil annually and is capable of receiving supertankers with a deadweight of as much as 150,000 tonnes. This attack disrupted critical export operations and highlighted the growing effectiveness of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities.

The conflict has evolved from a drone war to a missile war, with both sides launching strikes on high-value economic and military targets within each other’s territories. Ukraine has focused particularly on Russian refineries, as Western-imposed oil sanctions have not had the desired impact on Russia’s energy sector. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump initially threatened to impose 100% secondary sanctions on Russia’s oil customers, primarily India and China. However, he later revised his stance, stating that such measures would only be taken if Europe also imposed similar tariffs on these countries.

The White House has already increased tariffs on Indian imports to 50% following India’s refusal to cut Russian oil imports. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick have announced plans to push for a new Russian sanctions bill linked to a must-pass government funding measure. This comes as frustration grows among U.S. politicians over Trump’s reluctance to impose direct sanctions on Russia. Earlier, Graham sponsored a bipartisan bill that would have imposed 500% secondary tariffs on Russia, but it was overshadowed by Trump’s executive order proposing 100% tariffs.

The proposed legislation, known as the “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025,” has been stalled in Congress for months but is now gaining momentum due to its connection to a funding bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown. “Now it’s time for our European allies to step up and pull their weight,” Graham said in a recent interview.

Trump’s shift in approach followed the Paris summit on September 4, where the U.S. president refused to support the European plan to send peacekeepers to Ukraine and instead pushed for new EU oil sanctions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ruled out secondary sanctions, even though they were briefly considered for inclusion in the nineteenth sanctions package during her State of the Union address.

In addition to targeting oil terminals, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) struck the Ust-Luga port in the Baltic Sea, temporarily shutting it down for at least a week. These attacks have reduced Russia’s refined oil output by at least 20%, causing a domestic fuel crisis. However, exports have remained largely unaffected so far.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised the AFU in a nightly video message, highlighting the impact of long-range strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure. “The most effective sanctions are the fires at Russia’s oil refineries, its terminals, oil depots,” he said. Zelenskiy emphasized that disrupting Russia’s oil industry directly limits its ability to sustain the war.

He also commended the special forces of the Security Service of Ukraine for their successful operation at Primorsk, which caused significant damage. “Our special forces are keeping an eye on the port of Ust-Luga and all other Russian points of access to the world market,” he added, noting that Ukrainian drones can operate over distances of more than a thousand kilometers.

Recent Strikes on Russian Refineries

According to the Ministry of Defence, Ukraine has conducted 17 strikes on 12 Russian oil refineries in 45 days, representing 42% of Russia’s total refining capacity. The timeline of these attacks includes:

• August 2
• Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery

• Ryazan Oil Refinery

• August 7

• Afipsky Oil Refinery

• August 10

• Saratov Oil Refinery

• August 14

• Volgograd Oil Refinery

• August 15

• Syzran Oil Refinery

• August 19

• Volgograd Oil Refinery (2nd strike)

• August 21

• Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery

• August 24 (2nd strike)

• Syzran Oil Refinery

• August 28

• Kuibyshev Oil Refinery

• Afipsky Oil Refinery (2nd strike)

• August 30

• Krasnodar Oil Refinery

• Syzran Oil Refinery (3rd strike)

• September 5

• Ryazan Oil Refinery (2nd strike)

• September 7

• Ilsky Oil Refinery

• September 13

• Novo-Ufa Oil Refinery

• September 14

• Kirishi Oil Refinery