TL;DR
Get everyday essentials delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries after pausing attacks for three days at the United States’ request. He said Russia continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure during the pause and that Washington had warned it could suspend intelligence sharing if Kyiv kept striking refineries. The timing and scope of any renewed attacks have not been disclosed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, ending a three-day pause he said Kyiv observed at the United States’ request. In an interview with the Financial Times, Zelensky said Russia continued attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure during that pause, raising questions about whether the energy-sector truce announced by President Donald Trump can hold.
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,” Zelensky said in the interview, according to Meduza’s report. He said Ukraine had not attacked energy facilities in Russia for three days. The report does not identify which refineries could be targeted next or provide a schedule for renewed strikes.
Zelensky said the United States had warned Kyiv that it would stop sharing intelligence if Ukraine did not halt strikes on Russian refineries. He also said Ukraine received no American warnings about Russian ballistic missile attacks during the pause. Those statements describe Zelensky’s account of the communications with Washington; the report includes no response from U.S. officials.
The Ukrainian president said Russia continued hitting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and the report says more than 100 civilians were killed over the past week. It does not give a detailed breakdown of those deaths or independently establish how many were linked to attacks on energy facilities. Russia’s Defense Ministry separately reported strikes on communications and energy infrastructure in Kyiv after the truce was announced.
Pressure on the Energy Truce
The planned return to refinery strikes puts the energy-sector truce under strain and may deepen friction between Kyiv and Washington. Refineries are strategically important to Russia’s fuel production and economy, while attacks on energy infrastructure can also affect civilians and essential services. The source report does not provide estimates of the impact of any future Ukrainian strikes.
Zelensky’s account also points to a dispute over whether the pause was reciprocal in practice. He says Ukraine stopped attacks but Russia did not stop strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. If the two sides continue targeting energy facilities, the truce announced by Trump could lose force, though the precise terms and monitoring arrangements have not been detailed in the report.
Washington’s stated warning about intelligence sharing adds a separate security dimension. Ukraine relies on outside support in its war with Russia, but the report does not say whether intelligence sharing was actually suspended or whether the warning remains in effect. Zelensky also said Starlink terminals had faced operating restrictions, and rejected the idea that the issue resulted from a technical failure.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Three Days After the Truce Announcement
Trump said on October 11 that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a truce in the energy sector. Zelensky later said the Ukrainian Armed Forces had “received all relevant orders” related to it. Ukraine then stopped attacking Russian oil refineries, according to the account carried by Meduza.
The pause came amid U.S. pressure for Kyiv to observe the arrangement. Axios previously reported that Trump expected Zelensky to comply and stop attacks on Russian refineries. A White House source quoted by Axios said Trump was angry and felt Zelensky was taking the United States for granted. That characterization is an attributed account from an unnamed source, not a direct public statement by Trump in the material provided.
Zelensky said he could agree to refrain from refinery strikes even if Russia continued its own attacks, but only in return for additional shipments of missiles for Patriot air-defense systems. He described that request as the “minimum” he had asked for. The report does not say that Washington accepted the proposed exchange.
““It was not a technical problem, it was the will.””
— Volodymyr Zelensky
energy infrastructure security camera
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Targets and U.S. Response Unknown
The report does not specify when Ukraine will resume attacks, which facilities may be targeted, or whether a formal truce has been cancelled. It also does not provide the full terms of the energy-sector arrangement or explain how either side would verify compliance.
It remains unclear whether the United States has acted on its warning about intelligence sharing, whether Washington will provide the additional Patriot missiles Zelensky requested, or what restrictions were placed on Starlink operations. The report offers Zelensky’s account but no detailed response from U.S. officials or independent confirmation of the alleged warnings and restrictions.
The scale and consequences of any renewed attacks are also unknown. No future strike, damage assessment, or Russian response is confirmed in the source material. Zelensky’s statement describes an intention to resume attacks, rather than reporting that a new strike has already taken place.
portable communication device for emergencies
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Watch for Strikes and U.S. Talks
The immediate developments to watch are whether Ukraine carries out new strikes on Russian refineries and whether Russia continues attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Further statements from Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington could clarify whether the energy truce remains in effect or has broken down.
Any U.S. decision on intelligence sharing or Patriot missile deliveries could affect the dispute. The source material provides no timetable for those decisions and does not report an agreed exchange. Until officials give more detail, the announced end of the pause is clear, but the next steps and the truce’s status remain unresolved.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What did Zelensky announce?
He said Ukraine would resume strikes on Russian oil refineries after a three-day pause. The report does not say that a renewed strike has already occurred.
Why had Ukraine paused the refinery attacks?
Zelensky said Kyiv stopped striking energy facilities in Russia for three days in response to a request from the United States, after Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy-sector truce.
What did Zelensky say the United States threatened?
He said U.S. officials warned that Washington would stop sharing intelligence if Ukraine continued attacking Russian oil refineries. The report does not confirm that intelligence sharing was suspended.
Did Zelensky offer to keep the pause in place?
He said Ukraine could refrain from refinery strikes even if Russia continued its attacks in exchange for additional Patriot-system missiles. The report does not say the United States accepted that proposal.
Is the energy truce formally over?
The report gives no formal cancellation or revised terms. Zelensky’s statement indicates the Ukrainian pause is ending, but the status and enforcement of the broader truce remain unclear.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
