Ukraine said Russian oil refineries are legitimate targets after the United States warned Kyiv to halt drone strikes amid fears they could hinder Joe Biden’s re-election chances.

The White House had urged Kyiv to stop attacking refineries, depots and storage facilities deep inside Russia because they could cause petrol prices to spike or prompt an escalation from Moscow.

In response, Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for Euro-Atlantic integration, said: “We understand the calls of our American partners.

“At the same time, we are fighting with the capabilities, resources and practices that we have today.”

Mr Biden reportedly raised concerns with Kyiv that the bid to damage Russia’s oil production capacity could have repercussions for his re-election campaign.

Washington had reached out to Ukraine’s SBU security service and HUR military intelligence over the recent spate of drone strikes. There have been at least nine attacks on major Russian refineries this year, which have caused crude oils prices to jump in recent weeks.

Global oil prices up 15 per cent this year 

The strikes have hit Russian facilities reportedly accounting for 25 per cent of the country’s total refining capacity of 6.8 million barrels a day, triggering a petrol crisis inside Russia.

Global oil prices have risen 15 per cent this year, to $85 a barrel, creating a potential challenge for President Biden ahead of November’s elections.

“Nothing terrifies a sitting American president more than a surge in pump prices during an election year,” Bob McNally, a former White House energy adviser, told the FT.

Washington also voiced concerns that if Ukraine maintains its strikes campaign on Russian oil facilities, Moscow’s forces could introduce measures on energy infrastructure relied on by the West.

The CPC pipeline carrying oil from Kazakhstan through Russia to the global market, on behalf of companies such as ExxonMobil and Chevron, has been identified as a potential target. Moscow briefly closed the pipeline in 2022.

Kyiv has steadily developed its unmanned weapons capabilities since the start of the full-scale invasion more than two years ago. Last week, its forces launched two of the largest drone strikes, hitting seven Russian energy facilities in consecutive days.

The war-torn nation has also been able to demonstrate that it can strike Russian ports and oil tankers using maritime drones.

Ukrainian officials hope that by hampering Russia’s fuel supplies it would damage Moscow’s occupation and cut funds to its war machine.

Helima Croft, a former CIA analyst, said Ukraine now likely has the ability to hit Russian oil infrastructure across 60 per cent of the country.