Since 2023, Ukraine has regularly received requests from foreign states to limit or cease attacks on the oil infrastructure of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Kyrylo Budanov, speaking at the Kyiv Security Forum.
This is reported by Finway
The Systematic Nature of Requests to Ukraine
During the event, Budanov commented on a journalist’s question regarding the number of countries urging the Ukrainian authorities not to strike Russian oil refining facilities. He noted that such requests have a systematic nature and began to arrive as early as 2023. These calls gain particular intensity during periods of mass attacks, coinciding with tensions in the global oil market.
“Well, it would probably be inappropriate to name a specific list of countries. Look, I will tell you more interesting things. I personally encountered such a request for the first time back in 2023. So this is not something that has appeared now. This is a systematic, so to speak, effort that intensifies when there is massive application. Recently, this has simply overlapped with the oil crisis caused by understandable events. Before that, it started in Venezuela, then in Iran. And yes, such requests exist, to put it plainly.”
According to Budanov, these requests have intensified in connection with the global oil crisis that arose due to events in Venezuela, Iran, and a number of other countries. He emphasized that this practice has been ongoing for over a year.
Ukraine’s Response to International Calls
In response to the question of what Ukraine’s answer is to such requests, Budanov noted that the official position remains “cautious.” He did not specify which countries are making such requests, but emphasized that this concerns states from various regions.
Earlier, Kyrylo Budanov also commented on the issue of mobilization reform in wartime conditions. He emphasized that the mobilization process requires effective changes taking into account the human factor. Budanov stressed that avoiding mobilization is impossible, but the approaches to its organization need to be reviewed.