Zelensky Slams Putin for Disregarding Trump's Stance Amidst Fresh Attacks

Ukraine, on Wednesday, accused Russia of deliberately ignoring Donald Trump's proposed “energy ceasefire,” thereby squandering a chance to de-escalate hostilities. This accusation follows a new wave of deadly assaults across the country, which also targeted crucial power infrastructure. The capital, Kyiv, specifically endured a heavy onslaught of potent ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, despite the former US president’s unexpected announcement over the weekend.

These recent attacks resulted in the deaths of four individuals in Kyiv, and electricity supply was cut off for at least 600,000 residents after significant damage to power facilities and equipment. In the eastern Kharkiv region, power plants also suffered ballistic missile strikes, impacting both electricity and heating infrastructure, as confirmed by Prime Minister Sergiy Koretsky. President Zelensky condemned these latest attacks as “entirely deliberate and demonstrative in its scale,” asserting that “Russia has never before shown such ostentatious disrespect toward the United States.” He further posted on X, stating, “Russia does not consider the American President’s statements strong.”

Trump had surprised both Kyiv and Moscow on Sunday by unilaterally declaring an “energy ceasefire,” just two days after angering Ukraine’s Western allies with news of a deal to supply diesel fuel to heavily sanctioned Russia. The US leader has previously criticized Zelensky, even suggesting he should be replaced, due to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. A senior Ukrainian official confirmed to AFP recent reports that Washington had threatened to withdraw intelligence-sharing, which Kyiv relies on to detect incoming attacks. These renewed signs of friction with Trump have raised concerns about these arrangements, especially after air raid sirens, which usually warn of approaching drones or missiles, failed to activate on Monday and Tuesday nights before explosions were heard—an occurrence that has been rare historically. Ukrainian officials attributed this issue to Russia's use of difficult-to-detect missiles or potential technical malfunctions. However, Zelensky declared on Tuesday evening that Ukraine had received “no early warning from our partners” regarding ballistic missile launches, labeling it “absolutely unjust.”

Furthermore, an aide to Zelensky, Sergiy Beskrestnov, noted that the functionality of some Starlink internet terminals appeared to have been restricted overnight, disrupting “a number of missions” by Ukrainian defence forces. Beskrestnov stated, “Obviously, this action cannot be a coincidence and is linked to the current political situation.” Another senior Ukrainian official informed AFP that Starlink speeds had been “throttled,” implying it was done to benefit Russia. The official added, “What is important is that this has been ongoing since last night. Some restrictions were already being reported yesterday evening, so, in effect, it is happening in sync with this morning’s Russian ballistic attack.”

Zelensky indicated that Ukraine is prepared to refrain from targeting Russian energy infrastructure, but accused the Kremlin of having “squandered the opportunity for de-escalation” in the nearly five-year conflict. Russia has historically targeted Ukraine's power stations and heating infrastructure, causing severe disruptions before winter, when temperatures can drop to as low as -20C. Ukraine has been appealing to its allies for increased military assistance, particularly advanced interceptor systems to shoot down missiles and fast, jet-powered drones, as attacks on Kyiv intensify.

Reports also indicated Russian ballistic missile attacks in the eastern region of Kharkiv and Zhytomyr in the northwest, with other strikes hitting Sumy in the northeast and Chernigiv in the north. Authorities confirmed two fatalities in the central Dnipropetrovsk region and one more in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. Meanwhile, the governor of Russia’s southwestern Saratov region, based on preliminary estimates, reported that a Ukrainian drone strike had killed one person in the city of Balakovo. Moscow’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, stated that air defence forces had intercepted nearly 500 drones heading towards the Russian capital overnight. Russian authorities also mentioned that approximately 160 additional drones were shot down over the Rostov region, while others targeted Moscow.