Russia threatens more strikes after Zelensky vows to hit oil refineries

The Russian Defense Ministry issued a warning on Telegram saying it would intensify strikes against Ukrainian military and military-industrial targets and related infrastructure in Kyiv and other regions, attributing responsibility for any escalation to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The message came after Zelensky told Reuters that Ukrainian forces plan to keep targeting Russian oil refineries in retaliation for Russias airstrike campaign.

Zelensky also said Ukrainian intelligence had obtained documents that, in his view, show Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed the military to expand attacks on civilian infrastructure ahead of winter. He told Reuters those documents indicate orders to hit logistics and essential services across cities and villages, including roads, schools and hospitals, which he said aim to push people out of population centers.

Russias Telegram post framed the Ukrainian decision to attack refineries as the cause for stepped-up Russian strikes, and accused Zelensky of bearing full political and personal responsibility. The Kremlin has not been quoted directly in the reporting cited, but the defense ministry statement was carried by Politico.

The exchange comes amid ongoing, broader diplomatic activity. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has assigned special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to pursue negotiations between Putin and Zelensky, but those efforts have not produced a resolution, the report said. Separately, U.N. figures cited in the reporting show Russian strikes killed more Ukrainian civilians in the first eight months of this year than in all of 2025; in the preceding month alone, at least 372 civilians were reported killed and 2,349 wounded.