Kyiv Resumes Attacks on Russian Oil Refineries as Truce Collapses

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has declared that his nation will restart its strikes on Russian oil refineries. This announcement, made in an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday, also saw Zelensky adopting a notably more defiant posture towards former US President Donald Trump.

Since Trump's return to the political scene, support from Washington for Ukraine has been inconsistent, often influenced by his unexpected social media statements that have caught both Moscow and Kyiv off guard. Last week, Trump unilaterally declared an “energy ceasefire” which was never officially confirmed, yet Moscow continued its bombardments of Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Following a fresh wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian facilities on Wednesday, Zelensky conveyed to the FT, “The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done.”

Russia, on Thursday, confirmed that Ukraine had targeted an oil refinery located in Ryazan, situated south of the capital, Moscow. Since Russia's full-scale invasion commenced in 2022, Ukraine has endured repeated assaults on its power grid. In response, Kyiv has gradually escalated what it describes as retaliatory strikes deep into Russian territory, including against its refineries.

Trump had previously criticized these Ukrainian attacks, particularly after he secured an unexpected diesel deal with Moscow and instructed Ukraine to cease targeting Russian refineries. Zelensky stated that Ukraine did pause the strikes for several days, despite Russian allegations — which Kyiv denied — that Ukraine attempted refinery attacks during that period. Despite complying with the pause, Zelensky noted that Ukraine experienced restrictions on its access to crucial US military capabilities and intelligence.

Furthermore, Starshield, the satellite network built upon Starlink and utilized by military forces, experienced slowdowns on Wednesday. Zelensky told the FT, “It was not a technical problem; it was the will.” He also cautioned against a “dangerous” curtailment of intelligence sharing with Kyiv, emphasizing Ukraine’s heavy reliance on early warnings to safeguard its cities from Russian aerial assaults. Concerns about Washington potentially limiting intelligence cooperation had previously emerged after a public disagreement between Trump and Zelensky early in Trump’s presidency. The Ukrainian presidency has since been working to mend relations with Washington, striving to adapt to Trump’s shifting positions.

In the interview, Zelensky made a pointed observation regarding the relationship between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump “speaks about it openly and loudly that he loves such people and he respects such people. Because for him people who can be leaders 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, it means they can be very strong,” Zelensky remarked.