Zelenskyy Reports Russian Energy Strikes After Trump Declares Ceasefire

KYIV, Oct. 12 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Russian forces struck energy facilities, including a power plant in Kharkiv, after US President Donald Trump declared an energy ceasefire effective immediately.

Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday that both parties had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure. He provided no details and no written confirmation from either side. Zelenskyy said the announcement was news to him but that Ukraine supports such a step if Russia does the same. He later reported that glide bombs and drones hit a major facility in Kharkiv, a gas production site and a civilian gas station after the post appeared.

The Kremlin has not confirmed the arrangement. Contacts between the sides continue, according to Russian statements. This is the fourth time since Trump returned to office that he has announced an energy truce that did not hold. A similar declaration in September was followed by continued strikes.

The announcement followed a Friday deal in which Russia agreed to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, 500,000 tonnes in November and a further one million tonnes thereafter for the US and global markets. Trump has blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for elevated diesel prices in the United States, where the average has reached $6.19 per gallon. He has urged Ukraine to stop those attacks and suggested Zelenskyy should consider stepping aside.

A bipartisan group of US senators called the diesel arrangement illegal under a 2022 law that banned Russian energy imports. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the agreement is out of the question for Germany and Europe. EU foreign ministers on Monday adopted nearly 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia's military-industrial complex, including suppliers of drones and missiles.

Zelenskyy has offered to hold elections if Russia agrees to a 60-day full ceasefire. He has also said Ukraine is ready to stop striking Russian energy targets if Moscow ceases attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Russian strikes on Sunday killed at least six civilians, including three in a grocery store in Kharkiv, and wounded 20 others. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 89 Russian drones overnight into Monday.

Oil markets reflected the uncertainty. Brent crude traded above $105 as traders weighed the diesel supply against the risk of further disruptions. The Iran war and related Houthi activity in the Red Sea and Gulf have already tightened global fuel balances.

The practical effect of an energy ceasefire would be to protect Ukraine's power grid ahead of winter while allowing Russia to maintain export revenues from refined products. Ukraine has only one major refinery; Russia has dozens. Any bilateral halt limited to refineries would therefore favour Moscow. Previous attempts have collapsed within days when one side resumed strikes.

European leaders expressed support for the idea of a sustained energy truce while noting the absence of verification mechanisms. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain strongly supports the call. The EU's top diplomat expressed scepticism that Russia will respect the arrangement.

For Kyiv, the immediate question is whether further Russian strikes will continue through the week. For Washington, the diesel deal and the ceasefire announcement have drawn criticism from both parties over the balance between lowering domestic fuel costs and limiting revenue available to Russia's war effort.