At a Friday press briefing in Kyiv, SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk underscored the strategic nature of these attacks.
“Oil extraction and refining make up around 90% of Russia’s defense budget,” Maliuk said, according to the Kyiv Independent. “These are the dirty petro-rubles funding the war against us. These are legitimate military targets.”
He added that Russia’s domestic fuel shortage is nearing 20%, prompting Moscow to ban exports of refined oil products until the end of the year.
Ukraine Forces Strike in Donetsk Region
While Ukraine strikes deep into Russian territory, the frontline city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk has become a flashpoint. Russia’s defense ministry claimed on Saturday it repelled Ukrainian special forces, while President Volodymyr Zelensky countered that Ukrainian units are actively eliminating Russian troops inside the city.
“The situation in Pokrovsk is difficult,” Zelensky said. “There are Russians in Pokrovsk. They are being destroyed, gradually destroyed, because we need to preserve our personnel.”
