Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine will continue striking Russian energy infrastructure unless Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s own energy system, framing the campaign as a direct response to ongoing attacks, Novyny.LIVE reports.
Ukraine has been increasing strikes on Russian energy and export facilities in recent months, using drones and other long-range weapons to target refineries, depots, and terminals far from the front lines. The operations aim both to disrupt Russian military logistics and to cut funding channels for the ongoing war.
Speaking to journalists, Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s position is conditional: if Russia halts strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, Ukraine would respond in kind.
“We are using our weapons. We are defending ourselves. And if we don’t hit them in the face, they will hit us and won’t even take us into account, and won’t feel what war is,” he said, according to Novyny.LIVE.
Energy infrastructure as a battlefield
Since 2022, Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid with missiles and drones, with strikes intensifying during winter months in an effort to disrupt heating and electricity supply.
In response, Ukraine has developed a growing long-range strike capability, using drones to hit Russian infrastructure far from the front line.
Targets have included refineries, fuel depots, and export hubs such as terminals on the Baltic coast in recent weeks. These facilities are critical to Russia’s oil revenues, which remain a key source of funding for its military campaign.
Deterrence through retaliation
Zelenskyy’s remarks reflect Ukraine’s evolving approach to long-range strikes, which increasingly target oil refineries, storage sites, and export terminals inside Russia.
Ukrainian officials have presented these attacks as both defensive and strategic – aimed at reducing Russia’s ability to fund the war while also raising the cost of continued strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
The comments also come amid periodic discussions among Western partners about the scope of Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, particularly energy assets.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian drones have been detected over the Baltic states and Finland, as Ukraine targets Russian assets in nearby regions. This has raised some alarm in these countries but local officials ultimately support Ukraine’s right to strike Russian territory.
Zelenskyy signaled that Kyiv sees such operations as necessary leverage rather than escalation.
