Ukraine has initiated fresh attacks on Russian refineries by targeting a facility in the Ryazan region, as confirmed by the regional governor on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed frustration over the withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and the ongoing assaults on Ukrainian energy infrastructure by Russia, which had left 600,000 people without power.
Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s unexpected announcement of an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Zelenskyy revealed that Kyiv had refrained from striking Russian refineries, which Trump had accused of impacting diesel prices globally. However, with Russia persisting in attacking Ukrainian energy facilities, Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine would resume its attacks if Russia did not reciprocate. Zelenskyy also criticized what he perceived as Trump’s bias towards Russia.
In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Zelenskyy declared that Ukraine’s patience had worn thin, stating, “The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done.”
The governor of Russia’s Ryazan region, Pavel Malkov, reported on Telegram that a significant Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at an oil refinery in the area. The refinery, owned by Russian oil giant Rosneft, plays a crucial role in supplying fuel to Moscow and has been targeted multiple times by drones in recent months.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the recent strikes on Russian refineries by Ukraine had not caused substantial damage. He vowed that Moscow would retaliate, emphasizing that the attacks, while ongoing, had not inflicted significant harm.
Despite Ukraine refraining from refinery attacks for three days, officials expressed concerns over the lack of U.S. early-warning alerts for incoming Russian ballistic missiles. Additionally, the slowdown of the military version of Elon Musk’s Starlink communications service across Ukraine was cited as hindering military operations and strikes against Russian military targets.
Zelenskyy mentioned that Ukrainian military officials were informed by their U.S. counterparts that intelligence sharing would be halted unless strikes on Russian energy infrastructure ceased. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for a resolution, indicating that halting energy strikes could be considered if Ukraine received more U.S.-made Patriot interceptors in return.
The relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy has been strained, dating back to Trump’s impeachment in 2019 for pressuring Zelenskyy for political favors in exchange for military aid. Trump has also criticized the amount of aid provided to Ukraine by Joe Biden’s administration post-Russia’s invasion in 2022.
In central Ukraine, a significant Russian drone attack resulted in the death of three individuals and injuries to six others in the Kirovohrad region. The attack, which involved over 360 drones, marked one of the largest assaults on the region during the conflict. Additionally, Russia targeted Ukraine’s Naftogaz gas-extraction facility in the central Poltava region, causing operational disruptions and equipment damage.
Ukraine’s military reported damaging six Russian Su-34M military aircraft in an overnight strike on the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region. At sea, the search continued for seven missing crew members from a chemical tanker that caught fire near Romanian waters in the Black Sea due to Russian drones breaching airspace.
These recent incidents follow a series of drone strikes on cargo ships near Romania and Bulgaria, resulting in casualties and highlighting escalating tensions in the region.