Kremenchuk attack

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has called on G7 leaders to intensify energy sanctions against the Russian Federation and reduce the oil price cap ahead of this week’s summit in Canada.

His appeal comes a day after Russian missile strikes targeted critical energy infrastructure in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk.

Writing on the social media platform X, Sybiha described the 15 June attack as part of an ongoing Russian strategy aimed at systematically destroying Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure.

Yesterday’s barbaric attack on Kremenchuk’s energy infrastructure is part of Russia’s campaign to bomb Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure.
Moscow intends to attack Ukraine’s energy grid while the world’s attention is on the Middle East. This is especially cynical given…
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) June 16, 2025

The Kremenchuk attack reportedly struck multiple sites involved in the generation and distribution of electricity, further straining Ukraine’s already damaged power grid as the country faces another summer under the constant threat of Russian airstrikes. Ukrainian officials have stated that the strike is part of a broader effort by the Kremlin to undermine domestic stability and weaken public morale.

In response, Sybiha called for a concerted international effort to degrade Russia’s ability to finance and sustain its war effort through the export of energy resources. Specifically, he urged the G7 to lower the existing cap on Russian oil exports to $30 per barrel, a significant reduction from the current ceiling set by the G7 and EU as part of earlier sanctions packages.

The G7 summit, taking place later this week in Banff, Alberta, is expected to focus heavily on global security challenges, including the war in Ukraine, energy market stability, and geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. Ukrainian officials have stated that they will continue to press partners for stricter sanctions enforcement, enhanced military aid, and a firmer stance on Russian circumvention tactics.

G7 leaders first introduced a price cap on Russian oil in late 2022 in an attempt to reduce the Kremlin’s oil revenue without disrupting global markets. The mechanism, which prohibits Western services for shipments sold above the agreed cap, has been only partially effective, with numerous reports indicating that Russia continues to use non-transparent shipping methods, including the deployment of older tankers with unknown ownership and the use of flags of convenience.

Earlier this year, the EU extended its sanctions framework to include measures targeting maritime logistics firms and insurers believed to be facilitating oil shipments in breach of the cap. However, Ukrainian authorities contend that enforcement remains inadequate and that Russian oil revenues continue to finance military aggression.

As Western leaders prepare for the G7 meeting, Kyiv is intensifying diplomatic efforts to align allied economic pressure with battlefield realities. Ukraine’s leadership argues that weakening Russia’s energy sector is one of the few remaining levers capable of significantly constraining the Kremlin’s military capacity without escalating direct confrontation.