Russia has lost almost 40% of its crude oil refining capacity – Zelenskyy

According to him, the attacks resulted in the disruption of nearly 40% of Russia’s crude oil refining capacity as of May.

The head of state noted that strikes on oil infrastructure and the ability of Ukrainian forces to target Russian military logistics throughout the depth of the temporarily occupied territories have already caused a fuel shortage, particularly in Crimea.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also emphasized that the scale of the losses has forced the Russian authorities to impose restrictions on foreign trade in fuel.

“There are already Russian bans on the export of aviation fuel and gasoline from their territory, and they are considering a ban on diesel exports. For a country that was just recently called a gas station, losing even this is a significant development, a significant loss. As of May, nearly 40 percent of Russia’s primary oil refining capacity has been taken out of service,” - the President stated.

Separately, the head of state reported that he had heard a briefing from Oleg Lugovsky, acting head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, regarding the economic situation in the Russian Federation.

According to Zelenskyy, Russian authorities are attempting to circumvent international sanctions through companies in Japan, Central Asia, as well as certain companies in Europe and the United States.

“We know how to counter this,” - the President noted.

He also thanked international partners for the sanctions pressure on Russia and specifically commended France for detaining a Russian oil tanker.

The President called on European countries to improve their legislation so that they can not only detain but also confiscate such vessels.

“The oil that Russia so desperately wants to use to finance the war must instead finance our defense against aggression,” - Zelenskyy concluded.