Ukraine Hits Russian Energy Sites With U.S. Help

Trump administration’s expanded intelligence support fuels long-range strikes deep inside Russia

The United States has been secretly helping Ukraine carry out long-range drone and missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, marking one of the boldest phases of Washington’s involvement in the war since Donald Trump’s return to office.

Multiple Ukrainian and American officials familiar with the campaign told the Financial Times that U.S. intelligence has enabled Kyiv to target refineries, fuel depots, and other energy facilities far beyond the front line — in what they described as a coordinated effort to weaken Vladimir Putin’s war economy and push him toward negotiations.

The intelligence-sharing operation, which intensified over the summer, has been critical in helping Ukraine plan complex strikes that President Joe Biden’s administration had previously discouraged, citing escalation risks. Ukrainian attacks have driven up Russian domestic fuel prices, forced Moscow to cut diesel exports, and increased its reliance on imported fuel from allies like Belarus and China.

A Shift in Trump’s Policy

According to officials briefed on the program, the turning point came in July during a phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During that conversation, Trump asked whether Kyiv could “strike Moscow” if given long-range weapons, before signaling support for a strategy that would, in his words, “make them feel the pain.”

“The president was very clear that he wanted pressure on Putin,” one source said. “He was frustrated by the lack of progress and wanted to bring the war to a close on America’s terms.”

Trump’s stance marks a stark reversal from earlier in his second term, when he briefly halted intelligence and military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy into peace talks. The current operation, officials said, represents a more direct and aggressive posture — one that integrates U.S. intelligence into nearly every stage of Ukraine’s long-range strike planning.

READ MORE: https://mintelworld.com/zelensky-says-u-s-backing-could-let-ukraine-strike-deep-into-russia

Coordinated Targeting Effort

Three people familiar with the operation said U.S. officials have provided Ukraine with real-time intelligence on flight routes, radar coverage, and vulnerability assessments of key Russian energy sites. “Washington is involved at all stages,” one of them said.

While the U.S. publicly maintains that Ukraine chooses its own targets, other officials acknowledged that American agencies have “set out target priorities” to maximize economic disruption. One Ukrainian insider described the drone force as “an instrument for Washington’s strategy to erode Russia’s war footing.”

Kyiv’s forces have since stepped up deep strikes using domestically produced Fire Point, Liutyi, Neptune, and Flamingo drones and missiles — sometimes deploying up to 300 at a time. The SBU intelligence service said its Alpha unit’s long-range drones recently hit the Bashneft-UNPZ refinery in Ufa, 1,400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border — one of Russia’s largest refineries supplying the military. It was the third such strike in Bashkortostan within a month.

“The long-range strikes are aimed at destroying the enemy’s military potential — including its economic capabilities,” the SBU told the FT, adding that Ukraine will “increase both the number and breadth” of attacks inside Russia.

Washington’s Calculations

Despite its deepening role, the Trump administration has avoided publicly acknowledging any direct participation in the strikes. A White House official said only that the president “wants the war stopped” and that it “never would have happened under his first term.”

Still, U.S. and NATO officials have privately confirmed that intelligence sharing with Kyiv has expanded far beyond defense-related data. The assistance now includes guidance on Russian air-defense blind spots, flight-path optimization, and electronic warfare countermeasures.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier this month that it was “obvious” the U.S. and NATO were providing Ukraine with targeting intelligence for attacks on Russia’s energy sector. Moscow, he said, would respond “in due course.”

Trump has yet to decide whether to transfer Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine — a request Zelenskyy renewed this week. “We’re looking at it carefully,” Trump told reporters, while Zelenskyy said such weapons “could strengthen Ukraine and sober the Russians up a bit.”

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Economic Toll on Russia

The impact of Ukraine’s campaign has been significant. At least 16 of Russia’s 38 refineries have been hit — some multiple times — disrupting more than 1 million barrels a day of refining capacity, according to the research group Energy Aspects. Russian social media videos verified by the FT show multiple refineries and depots engulfed in flames.

Zelenskyy said the attacks have forced Moscow to import fuel, notably from Belarus and China, while losing “up to 20 percent” of domestic production capacity. “Our drones and missiles are getting better — more precise, more numerous,” he told reporters in Kyiv.

For the Trump administration, officials say the strategy is clear: erode Russia’s ability to fund its war, expand Ukraine’s leverage at the negotiating table, and demonstrate American dominance in the intelligence domain.

“It’s not about escalation,” one U.S. official said. “It’s about economics — making Putin realize that the longer he fights, the poorer Russia becomes.”