Ukraine Resumes Strikes on Russian Refineries After Energy Truce Collapses
The renewed attacks risk widening a diplomatic breach with Washington as both nations trade heavy aerial strikes on power and fuel infrastructure before winter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared in an interview published Thursday that Kyiv ended a pause on striking Russian energy targets. He announced that Ukraine would resume drone attacks on oil refineries. Ukrainian drones struck a Rosneft refinery in the Ryazan region about 300 kilometres southeast of Moscow overnight, starting a fire.
Russian regional authorities said emergency teams responded to a blaze caused by falling drone debris. Regional officials reported the attack involved 69 drones and four Flamingo cruise missiles. The Russian Defence Ministry stated that air defenses downed 166 Ukrainian drones nationwide overnight.
The Ryazan refinery produces roughly 5% of Russia's refining output and supplies fuel to Moscow. A Ukrainian official confirmed the operation was retaliation for sustained Russian aerial bombardments.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine observed a three-day unilateral pause at the request of Washington. He stated the moratorium ended because Russian strikes continually hit Ukrainian power facilities. He added that Russian bombardments killed more than 100 people over the previous week.
United States President Donald Trump posted on social media on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, announcing an immediate energy ceasefire between both countries. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to confirm that Moscow formally agreed to the truce, noting only that contacts were ongoing.
Russian bombardments continued after the announcement, knocking out electricity and heat to more than 600,000 residents. Those attacks damaged a combined heat and power plant in Kharkiv and a power station in Kyiv.
During the latest overnight assaults, the Ukrainian Air Force reported downing 536 Russian drones. Strikes hit 31 locations across 15 regions. More than 360 drones targeted the Kirovohrad region, where officials reported three civilians died and six suffered injuries.
Trump demanded that both sides stop attacking energy infrastructure, arguing that strikes on Russian refineries increased global diesel prices. Trump had previously agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import about 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel.
Zelenskyy criticized Washington for an alleged temporary halt to ballistic missile early-warning intelligence sharing. He also noted that speed restrictions on the Starlink satellite system degraded battlefield operations. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk stated the United States government controls military Starshield systems.
Zelenskyy said he would reconsider pausing refinery strikes only if Washington provided additional Patriot interceptors. Ukrainian officials stated that further Russian strikes on civilian power grids as cold weather sets in will bring immediate reciprocal drone barrages.
