# Zelensky says Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian refineries as Trump says the war will be settled without him Reuters reports that the order slowing Starlink service for Ukraine's military on October 14 came from within the White House and disrupted mid-range strike and interceptor drones. - Published: 2026-10-16T05:18:24.267Z - Canonical: https://polylog.news/2026-10-16/zelensky-says-ukraine-will-resume-strikes-on-russian-refiner - Publisher: Polylog (Global desk) - Section: geopolitics - Sources: [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/15/world/europe/ukraine-russia-oil-strikes-zelensky-us-intelligence.html), [Kommersant](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/9027761), [Kyiv Independent](https://kyivindependent.com/order-limiting-starlink-access-for-ukraines-military-came-from-within-white-house-reuters-reports/), [Polylog editors](https://polylog.news) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said publicly that he will act against a direct US request. In an interview with the Financial Times, reported by The New York Times, he said [Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/15/world/europe/ukraine-russia-oil-strikes-zelensky-us-intelligence.html). He had paused the strikes to comply with a demand from Washington, and he expressed open frustration with the United States. President Donald Trump answered in an interview with Newsmax. The Russian business daily Kommersant led with his statement that the conflict [will eventually be settled, but without Zelensky](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/9027761). Ukrainian outlets emphasized a different line from the same interview, in which Trump said he is ["not a big fan of Zelensky"](https://kyivindependent.com/im-not-a-big-fan-of-zelensky-trump-says-as-us-ukraine-tensions-deepen-2/) and called him "not a good guy" for Washington to deal with. Russian state broadcaster RT highlighted Trump's claim that [US missiles supplied to Ukraine were sold on the "open market"](https://rt-english.com/news/647267-trump-blasts-zelensky-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS). Each outlet chose the line that best supports its government's position. All three statements come from the same interview. Washington has also applied pressure through technology rather than only through statements. Reuters reported, according to the Kyiv Independent, that [the order to restrict Starlink access for Ukraine's military came from within the White House](https://kyivindependent.com/order-limiting-starlink-access-for-ukraines-military-came-from-within-white-house-reuters-reports/). On October 14 the service began cutting connections, without warning, for terminals moving faster than 160 kilometers per hour. The cap disrupted active operations with mid-range strike drones and interceptor drones. Ukrainian officials also told media that [Patriot interceptor stocks are again critically low](https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-patriot-interceptor-stocks-again-reach-critically-low-levels-media-reports/) as Russia increases attacks on energy infrastructure before winter. Neither side's campaign against the other's home front has stopped. On Thursday evening Russia's aviation authority restricted flights at Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky and Sheremetyevo, which [closed all four Moscow airports](https://t.me/ostorozhno_novosti/56075). Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses destroyed 37 drones flying toward the capital. Ukraine reported that a Russian drone [set an oil depot on fire in the Khmelnytskyi region](https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4174911-russian-drone-attack-sparks-fire-at-oil-depot-in-khmelnytskyi-regions-shepetivka-district.html). ## What this means Ukraine's refinery campaign reduces Russian exports of diesel and other fuels, which raises product prices worldwide. That puts it in direct conflict with a White House that wants lower pump prices before the midterms. The exposed parties are diesel importers in Europe and Asia, Russian refiners and their insurers, and Ukraine's own ability to fight without US-controlled communications and air defense. Washington's leverage is practical: satellite links, intelligence and Patriot resupply. Kyiv's leverage is its domestically built long-range drones. European statements of support cannot replace Starlink, which gives Washington more leverage over Ukraine's military operations than Europe can offset. The precedent is September 2022, when, according to Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk, Musk refused to extend Starlink coverage for a Ukrainian strike near Crimea. That episode showed a private network acting as a veto on military operations. The likelier outcome over the next several weeks is that Ukraine resumes some refinery strikes with its own drones while Washington tightens practical limits instead of announcing a public cutoff, and diesel prices take on a renewed supply premium. That depends on the White House continuing to rank fuel prices above Ukrainian leverage. It would be proved wrong if Starlink restores full speeds and US officials stop opposing the strikes. ## What to watch - Ukrainian claims of hits on Russian refineries over the next two weeks, and Russian regional reports confirming fires. Confirmed hits would show Kyiv can act without US approval. - Whether Starlink speed limits are lifted or extended to other uses. An extension would show the White House is using infrastructure as an instrument of policy. - Diesel price spreads in Europe. A widening would show that markets believe the refinery strikes will reduce Russian product exports.