WASHINGTON, April 9. /TASS/. Ukrainian strikes at Russian oil refineries can negatively affect the entire global fuel and energy complex, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.

"Certainly, those attacks could have a knock-on effect in terms of the global energy situation, and, quite frankly, I think Ukraine is better served by going after tactical and operational targets that can directly influence the current fight," Austin said, commenting on the Ukrainian strikes at Russian refineries during the hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee.

On April 2, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington does not endorse Ukrainian strikes at territory it recognizes as Russian. Speaking in an interview for The Washington Post, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky acknowledged that the US is displeased by Kiev’s strikes at Russian oil refineries and other fuel and energy complex facilities.

Previously, the Financial Times reported that the US Administration demands that Kiev stop its strikes at Russia’s energy infrastructure. According to the newspaper, in addition to the potential fuel price spike on global markets, Washington is afraid that Moscow can carry out a response strike at the enemy infrastructure, which Western states rely on. This includes, for example, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, used by Western companies, including the US’ ExxonMobil and Chevron.

In this regard, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow would like Washington not to simply call on Kiev to stop attacks on energy facilities in Russia, but to refrain from terrorist activities in general - first and foremost, against residential buildings.