‘We’re done’: Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian energy plants
Ukraine has restarted attacks on Russian energy plants as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he feels betrayed by Donald Trump.
The drone strike on an oil refinery 300km south-east of Moscow ends the brief “energy ceasefire” announced by the US president.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. AP
Ukraine depends on the Starlink satellite system for helping direct its miliary operations, including drone attacks. NurPhoto via Getty
Ukraine had held off from strikes for three days, but its government accused Russia of continuing drone and missile attacks on its energy grid.
Kyiv-Washington relations also slumped when the Ukrainian military reported the US had paused intelligence sharing at the same time as Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service restricted services.
Both are crucial in Ukraine’s defence systems for detecting and responding to Russian air attacks.
Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy now appear to have hit a new low, with the Ukrainian leader accusing the US of betraying his country.
He came out swinging against Trump in an interview with the UK Financial Times on Thursday, confirming strikes on Russian energy targets would resume.
Victoria Deineko holds her daughter, Mia, in front of a multi-story residential building damaged in a Russian missile strike in Kyiv on Tuesday, October 13. AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying.
Hours later Russian authorities said a large fire broke out at the Ryazan oil refinery in an attempted Ukrainian strike.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described Ukraine’s strikes on oil facilities as a “direct and crude challenge to President Trump.”
Zelenskyy also told the FT the withdrawal of the intelligence at the same time as the Starlink satellite internet were “dangerous” for Ukraine.
Fighting Russia without the US support would be “very difficult”, he warned.
Another point of tension with Ukraine is a deal Trump made with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel, despite international efforts to sanction Russia for its invasion and diplomatically isolate Putin.
Zelenskyy slammed the agreement, saying it would allow Russia to press on with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began more than four-and-a-half years ago. US efforts under Trump to end the war have made no progress.
- With The Associated Press
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