US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is displeased with the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are striking russian oil refineries. He made this statement during a meeting of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, according to Bloomberg.
As Ukraine’s battlefield situation has steadily deteriorated in recent weeks, the country has increasingly turned to strikes deep within russian territory, including infrastructure. The strikes are part of a bid to reduce fuel supplies to the russian military, as well as to cut revenues from exports that moscow uses to fund the war.
However, the US is concerned that Ukraine's attacks on russian oil refineries could impact global energy markets and has urged the country to focus on military objectives.
"Those attacks could have a knock-on effect in terms of the global energy situation", - Austin said. "Ukraine is better served in going after tactical and operational targets that can directly influence the current fight".