MAGA figures blame Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries for U.S. fuel-price pain ahead of midterms
U.S. conservative commentators, media figures and a Republican senator are publicly accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of deliberately striking Russian oil refineries to hurt President Donald Trump ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The Ukrainian outlets reporting on the wave say the narrative is being pushed across blogs, television and social media and is amplified by an expected Russia-to-U.S. diesel deal. Ukrainian sources frame the accusation as a politically motivated distortion and note counter-voices inside the U.S., including a bipartisan bill to block sanctions relief for Russian oil.
Key points
- MAGA-aligned commentators, FOX News, anonymous X accounts and a U.S. senator are publicly blaming Zelensky for continuing strikes on Russian oil refineries in order to undermine Trump and help Democrats ahead of the midterms.
- FOX News host Rachel Campos-Duffy said "ungrateful Zelensky continues to bomb refineries and complicate the situation for the president before the midterm congressional elections."
- Right-wing activist Jack Posobiec called for ending intelligence sharing with Ukraine and any funding to Kyiv.
- Republican Senator Mike Lee (Utah) said Zelensky is "working overtime" to help Democrats in November.
- Russia is expected to deliver 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the U.S. in October; an expert cited in the Ukrainian reporting estimates that volume would cover only about one day of U.S. demand.
- Republicans face a sharp rise in U.S. fuel prices going into the November 3 midterm elections, which the reporting links to the political pressure on Ukraine.
- Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said Washington is effectively helping finance Russia's war on Ukraine; Republican Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick and Don Bacon moved to co-sponsor a bipartisan bill to prevent Trump from lifting sanctions on Russian oil.
Why it matters
The narrative ties Ukraine's battlefield tactics directly to U.S. domestic political pressure three weeks before the midterms. Prominent American media figures, activists and a sitting senator are publicly calling for cutting intelligence sharing and funding to Kyiv, which could affect military assistance. At the same time, a bipartisan congressional push has emerged against lifting sanctions on Russian oil, showing that the pro-Russia-deal line is contested across party lines. The framing also serves as a domestic explanation for high U.S. fuel prices in an election cycle, shifting blame for economic conditions away from the administration and onto Ukraine.
What happened
In the run-up to the November 3 U.S. midterm elections, a coordinated wave of commentary from MAGA-aligned figures has accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of deliberately continuing strikes on Russian oil refineries to undermine President Donald Trump and help the Democrats. The Ukrainian outlets ZN.UA, NV and Novynarnya reported the trend via journalist Ostap Yarysh's Facebook post. Specific voices named include FOX News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, who called Zelensky "ungrateful" for continuing to bomb refineries, right-wing activist Jack Posobiec, who has a multimillion-person audience and urged an end to intelligence sharing and any funding to Kyiv, and Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who said Zelensky is "working overtime" to help Democrats in November. The narrative is also being pushed by anonymous accounts on X, where far-right blogger Laura Loomer took an unusually pro-Ukraine line after a summer visit to Kyiv, arguing that buying Russian oil fills the treasury of an Iranian regime that chants "Death to America." Separately, Zelensky described Trump's deal with Russia on diesel as a signal to Moscow that "it can simply continue to attack" Ukraine; Trump responded that Zelensky could have ended the war long ago but "decided not to do this" and suggested Ukraine find a new leader who can make a deal. Democrats and some Republicans pushed back: Senator Chris Murphy said Washington is effectively helping finance Russia's war on Ukraine, and Republican Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick and Don Bacon moved to co-sponsor a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing Trump from lifting sanctions on Russian oil.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
ZN.UA, NV and Novynarnya, all Ukrainian outlets, frame the MAGA narrative as a politically motivated distortion rather than a substantive policy debate. Their reporting centers on the danger it poses to continued U.S. military and intelligence support for Ukraine and amplifies counter-voices inside the United States as evidence that the anti-Ukraine line is contested. The outlets highlight the bipartisan Fitzpatrick sanctions bill, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy's warning that Washington is financing Russia's war and Laura Loomer's unexpected pro-Kyiv stance as a way to push back against the dominant MAGA framing.
Where reporting differs
Several U.S. voices, including a FOX News host, a right-wing activist with millions of followers and a Republican senator, blame Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries for high U.S. fuel prices and accuse Zelensky of trying to hurt Trump before the midterms. The Ukrainian reporting contests this framing: an expert cited by journalist Ostap Yarysh estimates that the 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel expected in October would only cover about one day of U.S. demand, and author Volodymyr Omelchenko argues that the main global oil-market shocks come from the Middle East rather than from the refinery strikes. The Ukrainian outlets also note counter-voices inside the U.S., from Democratic Senator Chris Murphy to Republican Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick and Don Bacon backing a bipartisan bill to block sanctions relief for Russian oil, as evidence that the narrative is contested.
Background
U.S. midterm elections are scheduled for November 3, and Republicans fear losing their congressional majority, with a sharp rise in U.S. fuel prices seen as one of the main strains on the party ahead of the vote. Russia is expected to deliver 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the U.S. in October, a volume that an expert cited in the Ukrainian reporting says would cover only about one day of U.S. demand. Author Volodymyr Omelchenko, cited in the Ukrainian coverage, argues that the main global oil-market shocks come from the Middle East rather than from Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries. Right-wing activist Laura Loomer, considered close to President Trump, visited Ukraine in the summer and, unusually for a MAGA figure, came out in support of Kyiv.