‘We’re done’: Zelensky says Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, stating, "The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done," according to an interview with the Financial Times. Ukraine had refrained from attacking energy facilities in Russia for three days, as requested by the United States.

However, Russian forces continued to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure, resulting in over 100 civilian casualties in the past week. Despite ceasing strikes on oil refineries, Zelensky reported that Ukraine received no warnings from the US about Russian ballistic missile attacks. Moreover, he stated that Starlink terminal operations had been limited.

Zelensky affirmed that American officials had informed Ukraine that failure to cease attacks on oil refineries would result in the US halting the sharing of intelligence. He dismissed the notion that a technical malfunction caused the Starlink issues, insisting it was "the will." When asked if Ukraine could halt the strikes on oil refineries to enhance relations with Washington, Zelensky said that agreement could be reached by providing additional Patriot missile shipments as the "minimum" he had requested.

On October 11, Donald Trump claimed that Russia and Ukraine had reached a truce in the energy sector, but Zelensky soon asserted that Ukrainian Armed Forces had received all necessary orders related to the truce. Consequently, Ukraine halted its strikes on Russian oil refineries, while Russia's Defense Ministry reported that Russian forces had targeted communications and energy infrastructure in Kyiv.

Axios reported that Trump relies on Zelensky to adhere to the energy truce and cease striking Russian oil refineries.