Kyiv: Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, after a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at a refinery in Russia's Ryazan region on Thursday. The strike was reported as the first Ukrainian attack on a Russian energy facility since US President Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire on October 11.
Ryazan regional governor Pavel Malkov said the refinery had been hit by a drone and that a fire had broken out. He said the damage was being assessed and emergency services were working at the scene. The full extent of the damage and the impact on refinery operations were not immediately clear.
Zelenskyy declared that the restriction on attacks against Russian refineries had ended. In an interview published on Thursday, he said Ukraine would resume the strikes, signalling a further setback for efforts to reduce attacks on energy infrastructure during the war.
The Ryazan refinery is owned by Russian oil company Rosneft and is an important part of the country's fuel processing industry. It accounts for almost 5 per cent of Russia's total oil refining capacity, according to reported estimates. Any disruption to its operations could affect fuel production, although the impact of the latest attack remains uncertain.
Trump announced on October 11 that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacks on energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy initially said Ukraine was prepared to observe the proposed truce if Russia also stopped targeting Ukrainian energy facilities.
Ukraine said it had paused energy strikes for three days in response to the US request. However, the ceasefire's terms and implementation remained unclear, and neither Russia nor Ukraine had formally confirmed the arrangement in the reporting available at the time.
Kyiv has accused Moscow of continuing attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure despite the ceasefire announcement. Ukrainian officials said Russian missile and drone strikes on October 14 damaged energy facilities in Kyiv and Kharkiv, killing three people and leaving around 600,000 people without electricity.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had struck six power plants in and around the two cities. The two sides have continued to offer different accounts of military operations, making independent verification of individual claims important.
The continued attacks have raised doubts about whether the proposed energy ceasefire can be implemented. The latest developments also highlight growing tensions between Kyiv and Washington over Ukraine's military strategy and its dependence on American support.
Reports have suggested that US officials considered restricting intelligence sharing and weapons procurement support unless Ukraine stopped attacking Russian energy facilities. However, the full details of the alleged threats have not been independently established, and they should not be treated as confirmation that the United States has ended its support for Ukraine.
Concerns have also emerged over satellite communications used by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian officials have reported disruptions affecting Starshield, the military version of the Starlink satellite system, which supports some military operations, including drone missions and air defence.
The cause of the reported disruptions remains unclear. It has not been established that they were deliberately imposed in response to Ukraine's refinery attacks.
Trump said the United States was still sharing intelligence with Ukraine, according to reports published on October 14. His statement is an important qualification to concerns that Washington had completely suspended intelligence support.
Zelenskyy has also said Ukraine could consider another pause in attacks on Russian energy infrastructure if it received additional Patriot air defence interceptors supplied by the United States. These systems are used to defend against aerial threats, including certain ballistic missiles.
Ukraine has repeatedly requested more air defence equipment as Russia continues its attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Kyiv argues that stronger air defences are necessary to protect civilians and essential services, particularly as winter approaches.
Russian oil refineries have become important targets in Ukraine's efforts to weaken Moscow's ability to finance and sustain its war effort. The facilities process crude oil into products such as petrol, diesel and aviation fuel. Damage can reduce processing capacity and disrupt supplies, but the actual impact depends on the extent of the damage and how quickly operations can resume.
The latest attack could add pressure to Russia's energy sector, although its effect on international fuel prices remains uncertain. Global energy markets are also influenced by other conflicts, supply disruptions and changes in demand.
The attack in the Ryazan region and Zelenskyy's announcement have cast further doubt on the proposed energy truce. Whether Russia and Ukraine can return to a reciprocal halt in attacks remains uncertain as both sides continue to accuse each other of targeting energy infrastructure.