Report: U.S. Pressured Ukraine to Call Off Strike on Russian Port

Ukraine canceled an operation targeting an oil refinery and oil tankers at the major Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. The move came after U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance demanded that it do so, Britain’s “Financial Times” reported Wednesday morning.

According to the report, the American request was made late last month, on July 31, and conveyed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. U.S. officials expressed concern that Ukrainian strikes could also hit tankers carrying crude oil from Kazakhstan to the CPC terminal at the Russian port.

The U.S. vice president said the Ukrainian strike would add to instability in oil markets and harm the interests of American companies. According to Ukrainian officials, Kyiv agreed not to strike CPC infrastructure or non-Russian vessels, as long as they are not subject to Ukrainian sanctions and are not carrying Russian oil or Russian cargo.

The “Financial Times” reported that two of America’s largest energy companies, Chevron and Exxon Mobil, have stakes in CPC, which serves as the main export route for oil from Kazakhstan, as well as in the oil fields in the western part of the country that feed into it.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported Wednesday morning that the Russian military intercepted 502 Ukrainian drones overnight, launched toward several areas across Russia.