Ukraine has reportedly suspended attacks on Russian oil refineries amid increasing pressure from US President Donald Trump and concerns over the future of Washington’s support for Kyiv, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
The unofficial suspension reportedly began early last week and is expected to remain in place until after the US midterm elections. The pause could potentially continue further into November.
However, Ukraine has not publicly announced any decision to stop targeting Russian oil facilities.
Two military officials familiar with the situation told the newspaper that Ukrainian units responsible for long-range operations were informed in mid-October that refinery strikes should be halted once their ongoing missions had been completed.
According to a source familiar with the discussions, Defense Minister Evgeniy Khmara advised President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that suspending the attacks would be a sensible step given the sensitive diplomatic circumstances.
Zelenskyy reportedly accepted the recommendation but stressed that Ukrainian military forces would retain the authority to resume the strikes if they considered it necessary.
The reported pause comes as Kyiv faces growing diplomatic pressure from Washington and uncertainty over the continued level of American support for Ukraine.
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