Zelensky says Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian refineries, as frustration with Trump mounts: news

Ukraine Resumes Drone Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries as Tensions with Donald Trump Escalate

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has ended its brief moratorium and is resuming targeted long-range drone and missile strikes against Russian oil refineries. The move marks the collapse of a short-lived, U.S.-backed energy truce and highlights growing geopolitical friction between Kyiv and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Why Ukraine Resumed Oil Refinery Attacks

In an interview with the Financial Times, President Zelensky declared that “the block is out” and Ukraine is “done” with the pause on striking Russian energy infrastructure.

Kyiv had temporarily halted deep strikes on Russia’s refining capacity for three days to test a proposed energy ceasefire brokered by Washington. However, Ukrainian officials stated that Russian forces continued launching heavy missile and drone barrages against Ukraine’s domestic power grid during the same window, rendering the unilateral restraint strategically unviable.

Immediately following the announcement, Ukrainian forces launched drone strikes against major Russian fuel facilities, including a significant attack on the Ryazan oil refinery southeast of Moscow that triggered visible industrial fires.

Core Sources of Friction Between Kyiv and Washington

Ukraine’s decision to restart refinery operations underscores severe diplomatic and tactical disagreements with the Trump administration:

• Disruptions in Intelligence Sharing: Kyiv criticized Washington for restricting critical tactical intelligence and early-warning alerts for inbound Russian ballistic missile attacks, warning that reducing defensive intelligence sharing endangers civilian lives.

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• Throttling of Starshield and Satellite Comms: Frontline Ukrainian units reported sudden slowdowns and access restrictions to Starshield satellite communications, which are managed under U.S. defense contracts. Zelensky dismissed explanations that the slowdown was a technical glitch, attributing it directly to political decisions in Washington.

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• Diverging Strategic Goals: The White House has pressured Ukraine to avoid targeting Russian petroleum processing infrastructure to prevent price shocks in global diesel and gasoline markets. Ukraine, conversely, considers Russian oil refining capacity its most effective asymmetric leverage to choke off Moscow’s war funding and military logistics.

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Geopolitical and Market Implications

1. Global Energy Volatility: Resumed attacks on key Russian refining complexes are expected to tighten regional refined product markets, specifically diesel and jet fuel exports.

2. Stalled Ceasefire Negotiations: The rapid breakdown of the energy truce demonstrates the difficulty of enforcing partial ceasefires without verifiable mutual compliance or air-defense guarantees.

3. Shift in Kyiv’s Diplomatic Stance: Facing increasing friction with the White House, Ukraine is signaling its intent to maintain autonomous operational decision-making on high-value military targets deep inside Russian territory.