- WIADOMOŚCI
Ukraine wants to attack missile launchers instead of refineries. What will Trump do?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was reportedly ready to temporarily halt attacks on Russian refineries in exchange for expanded access to the Starlink satellite communication system. According to The Wall Street Journal, the proposal involves a 100-day pause in strikes against Russian oil facilities. In return, Ukrainian drones would gain access to Starlink connectivity at a distance of up to approximately 300 km inside Russian territory.
According to the American newspaper, the proposal was presented by Senators Roger Wicker and Kevin Cramer during a visit by a cross-party US Congressional delegation to Kyiv. Expanding the communication range would enable Ukraine to conduct operations more effectively against Russian military targets, including missile launchers. These are mobile, and Starlink connectivity would allow for the flight paths of drones to be corrected in real time.
However, it is uncertain whether the US administration will agree to such a proposal. For now, the Starlink system and its military version, Starshield—the operation of which was temporarily slowed down but has since returned to normal—operate primarily within Ukrainian territory. The US is reluctant to permit the use of Starlink deeper into Russia, also due to concerns over an escalation of the conflict.
Dispute over Russian Refineries
Ukrainian attacks on the Russian oil sector are intended to limit fuel production capacity, disrupt industrial infrastructure operations, and increase the costs of Moscow’s war effort. The strikes cause damage to installations and force operational shutdowns, although the scale of losses depends on the specific facility and the pace of repairs.
Donald Trump’s administration pressed Kyiv to limit attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Ukraine, in turn, indicated that any suspension of strikes should be contingent on the cessation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities. On 15 October, Zelenskyy announced the resumption of attacks on Russian refineries, arguing that Russia continues to strike Ukraine.
