The White House’s unilateral attempt to negotiate an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine has collapsed. Overnight, Moscow launched a record number of drones at infrastructure in central Ukraine, and Kyiv appeared to resume strikes on Russian oil refineries—despite warnings from Donald Trump.
Moscow accused Ukraine of striking a Russian oil refinery in the Ryazan region, the first such attack since Trump abruptly declared an “energy ceasefire” that neither Russia nor Ukraine said they had agreed to.
Trump has demanded that Volodymyr Zelenskyy stop attacking Russian oil refineries, claiming it was causing a global rise in diesel prices.
Zelenskyy said on Wednesday he would resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, after briefly halting them to show Ukraine was ready for peace talks. “The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,” he told the Financial Times. He also called the gap in US intelligence sharing “dangerous.”
Images from Ryazan showed flames at the refinery, which regional officials said had been targeted by 69 drones and four Flamingo cruise missiles. The ministry claimed that debris from a drone struck by anti-aircraft fire had hit the refinery and sparked the fire.
In Ukraine, more than 360 Russian drones targeted Kirovohrad, a central region that has been hit less hard than others closer to Russia, in attacks that killed three and injured six.
“The enemy deliberately hit critical infrastructure, transport enterprises, logistics facilities and residential homes,” the regional governor, Andriy Raikovych, said in a statement.
View image in fullscreenWreckage of a Russian jet-powered drone lies inside a crater that appeared at the site of a residential area after a strike in Kyiv. Photograph: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Zelenskyy said Russia had attacked Ukraine with more than 850 Shahed drones at a time when Ukraine’s defensive capabilities were being “artificially restricted,” a reference to sudden limitations on Ukraine’s use of Starlink and Starshield mobile internet terminals.
What is Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade Starlink system, and how will its restriction affect Ukraine?
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“It is obvious that Russia deliberately chose to escalate its attacks after receiving sanctions relief and seeing attempts to pressure Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X, referring to a growing quarrel with the Trump administration. “Ukraine needs steady support, above all in defending our skies. We need HONESTY from our partners about this war: It is important that everyone in America stand not with the aggressor, but with our efforts to protect lives, end this war, and guarantee security.”
Trump suddenly declared an “energy ceasefire” last week, writing on TruthSocial: “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!”
Despite Trump’s claims, however, Russia continued to launch heavy strikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, using hypersonic and ballistic missiles to target key Ukrainian power plants, leaving cities including Kyiv without power and water for hours. Ukraine said it would not strike Russian oil refineries in the meantime in order to show it was ready for negotiations.
But the White House piled pressure on Zelenskyy to capitulate to Russia by threatening to cut programs to deliver arms to Ukraine and to stop sharing US battlefield intelligence with Ukraine.
The US appeared to make good on some threats. Ukraine said it had not received advance warning from Washington of Russian missile strikes for several days this week. And on Wednesday, Ukrainian soldiers also complained that their access to Starshield programs controlled by the US military had been restricted, scuppering drone missions on the frontlines.
The feud between Zelenskyy and Trump has spun out of control over the last week. Trump, who belbelieves that his support for Ukraine should come with some control over the country’s leadership, has said that Ukraine should “get a new president.” Asked on Thursday by Piers Morgan whether he felt betrayed, Zelenskyy said yes. “It’s a pity that we are losing, we are losing a strong partner,” he said. Musk, the powerful head of SpaceX, which produces the Starlink terminals used by Ukraine’s military, has emerged as a top critic of Zelenskyy in the US. On Thursday, Musk denied throttling the Starlink systems and said they were controlled by the US government. But in a social media post commenting on a Zelenskyy statement that Ukraine would continue to fight until Russia’s defeat, he wrote: “And so the slaughter continues … Time for Zelensky to go.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the collapse of the energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine
What was Trumps energy ceasefire
It was a proposed agreement pushed by former President Trump where both Russia and Ukraine would stop attacking each others energy infrastructure like power plants and pipelines
Why did it fall apart
Both sides accused the other of violating the terms Russia said Ukraine kept hitting its oil refineries while Ukraine said Russia continued to strike its power grid
What happens now that the ceasefire is over
Both countries have resumed largescale missile and drone strikes targeting energy facilities leading to widespread power outages and infrastructure damage
Who is affected most by these strikes
Civilians on both sides In Ukraine millions of people face blackouts and heating shortages In Russia refinery strikes have disrupted fuel supplies and caused economic strain
What is an energy ceasefire in simple terms
It is a deal to stop fighting specifically in one areaenergy Instead of a full peace deal it only covers power plants oil refineries and gas pipelines
Why target energy infrastructure in a war
Energy keeps a country running Hitting power plants hurts the enemys economy military production and civilian morale without needing to fight on the front line
Did the US stop helping Ukraine after the ceasefire failed
No The US continued to send military aid but the failed ceasefire showed that diplomacy alone was not stopping the strikes
What are common problems with partial ceasefires like this
They are hard to monitor Without neutral observers on the ground both sides can claim the other cheated Also neither side trusts the other to follow the rules
What is a drone strike on a refinery
It is an attack using unmanned aircraft that carry explosives Ukraine has used longrange drones to hit Russian oil refineries deep inside Russia
Can these strikes cause a global energy crisis
Yes Russia is a major oil and gas exporter If its refineries are damaged global oil prices can rise affecting fuel costs worldwide
What is the difference between a ceasefire and a peace treaty
A ceasefire is a temporary stop to fighting A peace treaty is a permanent formal agreement that ends the war and sets new borders or rules
Why did Trump propose this ceasefire
He said it would be a
