Ukraine to restart strikes on Russian oil refineries, Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine will recommence strikes on Russian oil refineries, accusing the US of withdrawing essential support. Zelensky stated that he had imposed a three-day temporary halt to these attacks at Washington's request, while Russian forces continued their assaults on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

He further alleged that the US had halted intelligence-sharing on Russian strikes as a means of pressuring Kyiv into ceasing the attacks, following a deal to import Russian diesel. Additionally, Zelensky alleged that a slowdown in Starlink satellite services utilized by Ukraine's military for communication and targeting was deliberate.

Russia's defense ministry reported that four missiles and numerous drones were intercepted during an early morning attack on an oil refinery south of Moscow, resulting in a fire at the site. Meanwhile, Zelensky reported that dozens of Ukrainian cities had been targeted by Russian strikes in the previous day. He had previously agreed to a proposed "energy ceasefire" with US President Donald Trump, but accused Russia of reneging on the deal within hours of its announcement, causing hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to lose power.

Zelensky expressed his perceived betrayal by the US when questioned by Piers Morgan on Wednesday night. Ukrainian officials reportedly received warnings from US counterparts to cease the strikes or face intelligence blockage. Ukraine's military heavily relies on US early-warning alerts to defend against Russian aerial attacks, while Starlink internet uplinks are integral to the war effort.

There were suggestions that the Starlink service slowdown might be due to a technical issue, though Elon Musk denied this, suggesting it was due to US government action. The Trump administration has not commented on the matter.