Ukraine’s Drone Strikes on Russia Continue Despite US Dissent

Zelenskiy Defends Attacks as Retaliation, Urges More US Aid

In an interview with the Washington Post’s David Ignatius, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed to continue targeting Russian oil refineries with domestically-made drones, despite the United States‘ disapproval of the campaign. The strikes, which have slashed fuel production at more than a dozen facilities over the past month, are part of Ukraine‘s effort to compel Moscow to stop attacking its energy grid, reports Bloomberg.

“The reaction of the US was not positive on this,” Zelenskiy told the US newspaper. “We used our drones. Nobody can say to us you can’t.”

Plea for Accelerated Military Assistance

Zelenskiy once again urged the US Congress to expedite the approval of more than $60 billion in military aid, which has been delayed for months. Without new infusions of ammunition and air defense systems, he warned that Ukrainian troops would be forced to retreat, potentially allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to make territorial gains, including toward major cities.

“If you need 8,000 rounds a day to defend the front line, but you only have, for example, 2,000 rounds, you have to do less,” Zelenskiy explained. “How? Of course, to go back. Make the front line shorter. If it breaks, the Russians could go to the big cities.”

Call for Long-Range Missiles

The Ukrainian leader also called on the US to provide long-range ATACM-300 missiles, which would allow Ukraine to intensify its attacks on targets such as airfields in Russian-occupied Crimea. “ATACM-300s, that is the answer,” Zelenskiy said.

Despite the US’s concerns about rising domestic fuel prices in an election year, as reported by the Financial Times, Zelenskiy remains committed to retaliating against Russia‘s strikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. As the war continues, the president’s plea for increased military support from the US underscores the challenges faced by Ukrainian forces in their struggle against Russia’s ammunition advantage.

Featured image courtesy of Shari Alkasim / X.