Brief
US diesel prices stay below $4 despite Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries
Institute of the Study of War data shows US diesel remained under $4 per gallon despite Ukraine’s 2025‑2026 refinery attacks.
By Felo News Desk · Published
According to a report by the Institute of the Study of War (ISW), Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have not caused any rise in United States diesel prices, which stayed under $4 a gallon from August 2025 until a February 2026 spike linked to the Iran‑Israel conflict.
What happened
The ISW chart tracks US diesel prices, noting a brief dip when Ukraine struck six Russian refineries in November 2025. Prices then held steady below $4 per gallon through the end of 2025 and into early 2026. A sharp increase began after a joint US‑Israel attack on Iran on February 28, 2026, with diesel reaching $6.53 per gallon on September 21, 2026.
What the reports add
The New York Post article cites Reuters data for the September 21 peak and links the price surge to the Iran war rather than the Ukraine‑Russia conflict. It also notes that the US‑Russia diesel purchase agreement of more than 2.25 million barrels, a point of tension between President Trump and President Zelensky, did not affect the price trend.
What was said
President Trump urged Kyiv to stop targeting Moscow’s refineries and blamed rising fuel costs on Ukraine’s attacks. Zelensky, speaking to the Financial Times in London, said Ukraine would ignore Trump’s demands and resume strikes, adding that the White House had cut Ukraine’s access to the Starshield satellite network.
How it came about
Felo previously reported on Trump’s criticism of Ukraine’s refinery strikes (Trump calls Ukraine’s renewed refinery strikes a ‘disgrace’) and on the October 15 Ryazan refinery drone attack (Ukraine launches drone strike on Ryazan refinery). Those pieces provide background on the escalating diplomatic friction surrounding the strikes.
Key facts
- US diesel prices stayed under $4 per gallon from August 2025 until after the Feb. 28, 2026 US‑Israel attack on Iran (nypost.com)
- Ukraine struck six Russian oil refineries in November 2025, causing a slight temporary drop in US diesel prices (nypost.com)
- US diesel peaked at $6.53 per gallon on September 21, 2026, linked to the Iran war (nypost.com)
- President Trump urged Ukraine to halt refinery attacks and blamed fuel price rises on those strikes (nypost.com)
- President Zelensky said Ukraine would ignore Trump’s demands and resume strikes, accusing the White House of cutting Starshield access (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries is not impacting US gas prices: report”
