Zelensky says Kyiv will resume strikes on Russian refineries after US pressure

A pause that lasted three days

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times that Kyiv will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, ending a ban imposed at Washington's request. Ukraine had held off on attacks against Russian energy facilities for three days, but Russia kept striking Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and Zelensky said more than 100 civilians had been killed in the past week. On 14 October, Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said Ukrainian forces had attacked two oil refineries in the Saratov and Ryazan regions, which he presented as proof that Kyiv was not moving toward an energy truce.

Zelensky put the decision in blunt terms.

The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We're done.

How the truce came apart

The sequence began on 9 October, when Trump announced that the United States had agreed to buy diesel fuel from Russia, a purchase he justified by lower diesel prices in the US. On Sunday, 11 October, Trump declared that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an 'energy cease-fire', a step that caught both governments off guard. According to LBC, the easing of sanctions allowed 300,000 tons of Russian fuel into the United States. Trump blamed Ukrainian strikes, rather than his own war with Iran, for rising fuel prices, and said Ukraine needed a 'new president'. Zelensky said Trump had threatened to cut off intelligence sharing if the attacks continued.

1. Oct 9, 2026Trump announces the United States has agreed to buy Russian diesel fuel
2. Oct 11, 2026Trump declares an energy cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine
3. Oct 14, 2026Russia's Alexander Novak says Ukrainian forces hit refineries in Saratov and Ryazan
4. Oct 15, 2026Zelensky tells the Financial Times that Ukraine will resume refinery strikes

Starlink, intelligence and a 'technical fault'

Zelensky said the United States had warned Ukrainian military officers directly that intelligence sharing would be blocked if the energy attacks did not stop, and that the resulting disruptions were later presented to Kyiv as a technical failure, which he rejected. The Ukrainian army also received no American warnings about ballistic missile launches, and Starlink service slowed across the country, hampering front-line operations and mid-range strikes behind the line. Military adviser Serhii Sternenko said operation of Starlink terminals in Ukraine had already been restricted. Elon Musk, whose company provides Starlink, pointed to the US government's Starshield network, writing on X:

Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government.

Musk added that limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the US president.

Conditions, deals and Washington ties

According to RBK-Ukraine, Zelensky said Ukraine could refrain from hitting Russian energy sites even if Russia kept striking its grid, on condition that it received additional Patriot missiles. He suggested that abandoning energy strikes could push the United States and Russia toward new deals, guessing the next one would concern gas. He also criticised Trump's business dealings with Moscow and his apparent sympathy for Vladimir Putin. The Financial Times described the current rift as the most serious between the two countries since the February 2025 clash in the Oval Office.

Winter preparations

Russia used dozens of missiles and more than 100 drones, mainly against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving many people without power or water. UN humanitarian coordinator Matthias Schmale, who can see damaged power plants from his office window, described the situation in stark terms:

The situation is really desperate.

He said many people had no water that morning. Real estate agent Roman Slavutski reported that gas-heated homes outside Kyiv were being rented out quickly as residents moved out of flats in the city. In London on 14 October, Zelensky said Ukraine was ready for a ceasefire but that an energy truce was not on the table. Discussions at the EU summit will cover how Europe can support Ukraine more independently of the United States.