Ukraine resumes refinery strikes after Zelenskyy says U.S. support pause is over
Ukraine restarted attacks on Russian oil refineries after a three-day pause linked to a U.S. energy ceasefire proposal. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he felt betrayed by Washington's withdrawal of intelligence and Starlink support, and he declared the pause over. A fire was later reported at a refinery in Russia's Ryazan region, and Moscow said it had stopped a large Ukrainian attack there.
Kyiv ended a three-day halt on strikes against Russian oil facilities after Trump announced an energy truce. Zelenskyy told the Financial Times the restriction had ended. A defense ministry source said mobile satellite connectivity through Starshield, SpaceX’s military service, was restored Thursday morning.
Later, a fire was reported at a refinery in Ryazan, and Russia’s military said it stopped a large Ukrainian assault there. Trump had also arranged a diesel deal with Moscow and called for Zelenskyy’s replacement, while Kyiv reported Starlink slowdowns affecting battlefield and air-defense missions.
The renewed refinery strikes and uncertainty over U.S. support could deepen economic and security pressures on Ukrainian civilians, especially if air defenses are constrained. Russian communities near energy sites may face disruption and fuel shortages. In the U.S. and Europe, the episode may intensify debates over alliance reliability and energy costs, while markets could react to any escalation. The outcome may shape public confidence in leaders handling the war and transatlantic ties.