Ukraine defies Trump by striking Russian oil refineries as Moscow hits Kyiv energy grid ahead of winter

From the Newshound archive · first published 1 October 2026.

Ukraine struck an oil facility in Russia's Samara region overnight, pressing on with its campaign against Russian refineries despite Donald Trump's personal demand that Kyiv halt the attacks. Trump, facing record-low approval ratings before next month's midterm elections, has publicly blamed Ukraine's strikes for pushing US diesel prices to all-time highs. Energy analysts, however, point to the war in Iran and wider oil market disruption as the primary cause of the price surge.

Russia launched one of its heaviest combined strikes on Ukraine's energy grid in months on Wednesday, killing seven people including a child.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi warned the attack — the first mass energy strike since last heating season ended — came as Ukraine faces an acute air defence shortage.

Freezing temperatures are forecast in Kyiv in the coming days, with emergency power cuts imposed across the capital and three surrounding regions.