Officials say Washington is providing critical intelligence to Kiev, allowing Ukrainian intelligence to target Russian energy sites far from the front lines.
According to the Financial Times, multiple US and Ukrainian officials confirmed, “American intelligence shared with Kyiv has enabled strikes on important Russian energy assets, including oil refineries far beyond the frontline.”
“The US intelligence helps Kyiv shape route planning, altitude, timing and mission decisions, enabling Ukraine’s long-range, one-way attack drones to evade Russian air defenses,” it continues.
Ukraine has claimed multiple successful drone strikes on Russian refiners hundreds of miles from the Ukrainian border in recent weeks. FT reports that the intelligence sharing began in July.
The intelligence sharing is a notable escalation in the war under President Donald Trump. While Trump was critical of Joe Biden’s policy of his support for the proxy war in Ukraine, Biden had discouraged Zelensky from strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
President Trump’s rhetoric has been increasingly supportive of Ukraine winning a military victory in recent months. In August, he urged Ukraine to go on the offensive. In September, Trump posted on Truth Social that Kiev was positioned to win back all its territory and Moscow has been exposed as a “paper tiger.”
Trump has expressed that he believed that the war in Ukraine would be easy to end, but has been flustered with his ability to get Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach an agreement. He recently expressed that Russia would need to “feel the pain” to reach a deal.
Trump and Zelensky held two calls this weekend about the US supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. It’s unclear if Trump has made a decision to provide Kiev with Tomahawks.
