US concerns about rising global energy prices due to Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries - WP
Photo: Russian refinery (Getty Images)
The United States believes that Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries will lead to higher world energy prices, according to The Washington Post.
The United States is confident that if Ukraine does not refrain from attacking the refineries, it will provoke Russia to increase shelling of the country.
The agency also notes that attacks on Russian refineries deepen tensions in relations between Ukraine and America. This is because, according to media reports, the US call not to target Russian refineries, which was made during the Munich Security Conference in February, angered President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top aides. In particular, Zelenskyy allegedly rejected the recommendation unsure if it reflected the Biden administration's position.
However, Washington has recently reinforced this warning in numerous discussions with Kyiv, including with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who visited the Ukrainian capital in March, and other high-ranking US defense and intelligence officials.
"Instead of acquiescing to the US requests, however, Ukraine doubled down on the strategy, striking a range of Russian facilities, including an April 2 attack on Russia’s third-largest refinery. The incidents have exacerbated tensions in a strained relationship as Kyiv waits to learn whether Congress will pass a long-stalled $60 billion aid package while Russia’s forces pierce Ukrainian positions across the front lines", the article reports.
WP suggests that Ukrainian strikes have disrupted at least 10 percent of the capacity of Russian oil refineries. This comes at a time when President Biden is ramping up his re-election campaign, and global oil prices have reached a six-month high.
Attacks on Russian refineries
Over the past month, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have attacked 12 Russian oil refineries using drones.
These strikes have disrupted at least 10% of the capacity of the Russian oil refining industry. Since March 1, Russia has officially halted gasoline exports due to fuel shortages.
The United States expressed concern over the Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, believing that they could affect the global energy situation, and called the refineries civilian targets.
Meanwhile, in Tula, the Russian army has installed air defense systems near a local oil refinery.
