Zelenskyy says Russian energy strikes continue after Trump declares ceasefire

Warsaw, 12 October 2026. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Russian forces continued to strike Ukrainian energy facilities after US President Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire the day before. Speaking by video to the Warsaw Security Forum, Zelenskyy reported a strike on a power plant in Kharkiv, damage to a gas production facility, and an attack on a civilian gas station. He added that a Russian drone hit a gas site at midnight.

Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday that an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was effective immediately and that both parties had agreed. He provided no details on scope, verification, or duration. Zelenskyy said the announcement was news to him. He stated that Ukraine supports such a halt if Russia does the same, and that Kyiv is ready to stop striking Russian oil refineries under reciprocal conditions. He noted that he had not heard approval from the Russian side.

The Kremlin has not issued a formal response confirming the arrangement. Russian defence ministry briefings on Monday morning made no reference to the ceasefire claim. Earlier in the week Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a separate deal under which Russia would release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately to the American and global market, followed by further volumes in November and after. Zelenskyy had criticised that deal as a gift that would fund continued attacks.

This is not the first time Trump has declared an energy-related pause. A similar announcement in mid-September was followed by continued Russian strikes. European officials expressed support for a sustained halt but noted the absence of confirmation from Moscow. EU foreign ministers were set to adopt nearly 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia's military-industrial complex on Monday, the largest single batch of individual designations since 2022. The package focuses on missile production, shipbuilding, electronics and related entities rather than new sector-wide trade bans.

Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure have been a constant feature of the war since 2022. Ukraine has responded with long-range strikes on Russian refineries, which Kyiv argues reduce revenue available for the war. Trump has publicly opposed those Ukrainian strikes, citing effects on diesel prices in the United States. Average US diesel prices have risen sharply amid the Iran-related disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, reaching levels above six dollars per gallon in some reporting.

The practical effect of the latest announcement depends on whether Russian forces stop targeting Ukrainian power plants, gas facilities and substations. Ukrainian officials documented strikes in the hours after Trump's post. Air defences intercepted 89 Russian drones overnight into Monday, according to Ukrainian reports. A separate drone attack in Kharkiv on Sunday killed three people and injured nine. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would honour a mutual agreement if Russia does.

Energy infrastructure remains a high-value target because repairs take time and because winter increases civilian dependence on heating and electricity. The diesel deal adds a commercial channel that could increase Russian export revenue even as fighting continues. Whether that revenue is offset by any reduction in Ukrainian strikes on refineries is the open variable. Without a verifiable pause on both sides, the announcement functions as a unilateral statement rather than an operational ceasefire.

The next days will show whether Russian strikes on energy sites decline or continue at the recent pace. Ukrainian forces have demonstrated the ability to reach refineries deep inside Russia. Russian forces have demonstrated the ability to degrade Ukrainian generating capacity. The gap between the US announcement and the reports from Kharkiv and other sites defines the current distance between claim and practice.