Most Ukrainians support strikes on Russian refineries despite US pressure

I find the 80% figure from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll, published Oct. 28, the most telling part of this report. This majority supports continued strikes on Russian refineries even if Washington restricts intelligence sharing or Starlink operations. Only 11% of the 828 respondents, who lived in government-controlled territories during the Oct. 16 to 25 telephone interviews, believe Ukraine should pause these attacks. President Donald Trump urged Kyiv to stop these strikes because they hit a major source of revenue for the Russian federal budget. After Trump’s Oct. 11 declaration of an energy truce, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine largely suspended strikes against Russian refineries for three days. While the U.S. administration denied ordering restrictions to pressure Kyiv, Ukraine reported a temporary pause in U.S. intelligence sharing and restrictions on Starlink operations. The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll shows that 80% of Ukrainians support continued strikes on Russian refineries even if Washington restricts intelligence sharing or Starlink operations, while also delaying Patriot air defense missile shipments to pressure Kyiv. The survey was conducted between Oct. 16 and 25 through telephone interviews with 828 respondents living in the government-controlled territories.

Winter outages and resistance

Russia continues attacking Ukrainian energy facilities, which drives fears about energy and heating outages as winter approaches. I find the situation regarding U.S. military aid precarious because Ukraine reported delays in Patriot air defense missile shipments and restrictions on Starlink operations. Nevertheless, 76% of respondents support continued armed resistance against Russia even if Moscow’s attacks in winter result in outages in electricity, heat, and sewage. 63% of Ukrainians are ready to endure the war as long as necessary, a rate that remained stable since summer. This widespread determination persists despite the threat of Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure. The 80% majority wants the strikes to continue to disrupt Russia’s funding of the war.