Ukraine Strikes Russian Refineries as Energy Truce Dies

Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries this week, ending a brief energy ceasefire and drawing a sharp rebuke from President Donald Trump, who called the renewed attacks a “disgrace” as European Union leaders gathered in Brussels to discuss the fallout.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the strikes, signaling that Kyiv is “done” with the energy truce. The move marks a dramatic collapse of the pause in attacks on energy infrastructure that had briefly raised hopes of de-escalation in the nearly four-year war, now in its 1,693rd day since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Ukraine Strikes Russian Refineries as Energy Truce Collapses

In an interview released this week, Zelenskyy said he feels betrayed by Trump, citing the U.S. president’s energy ceasefire announcement, a U.S. deal to import Russian diesel, and limits on Ukraine’s use of the Starlink satellite service, the Daily Brief reported.

Trump, in an interview that aired Thursday, said he finds Zelenskyy “more difficult to deal with” than Russian President Vladimir Putin and condemned Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian refineries as a “disgrace,” according to the Washington Examiner and New York Post.

The White House has floated a possible MOAB strike on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site in separate remarks this week, underscoring the administration’s willingness to use forceful rhetoric as Middle East tensions escalate.

EU Leaders Rally in Brussels

European Union leaders rallied in Brussels on Friday to coordinate a response, with the renewed strikes adding urgency to ongoing discussions about sanctions and military aid for Kyiv.

Ukraine has also run out of Patriot interceptor missiles, according to multiple reports, further complicating Kyiv’s air defenses at a moment when Russia continues long-range strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.

Starlink Slowdown Comes From Inside the White House

Adding to the controversy, Reuters cited unnamed sources saying a recent order to slow the SpaceX Starshield satellite service in Ukraine — which Kyiv’s military relies on for drone operations and battlefield communications — came from inside the White House. A senior U.S. official told Reuters that “no such request was ever made by the president.”

The conflicting accounts deepen a rift between Washington and Kyiv that has been widening for weeks, even as Congress weighs the next tranche of U.S. aid.

What the Energy Truce Meant

• The brief pause halted mutual strikes on energy infrastructure — a limited de-escalation Trump announced as a step toward broader peace talks.
• Ukraine’s refinery strikes have previously strained Russia’s fuel supplies, making energy targets one of Kyiv’s most effective asymmetric tools.
• Analysts say the truce’s collapse removes one of the few remaining off-ramps to escalation this fall.

Why the Refineries Matter

Russian refineries are among the most strategically valuable targets in the war. Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign against them has previously disrupted fuel supplies, pushed up domestic Russian gasoline prices, and forced Moscow to divert air-defense systems away from the front lines.

Energy analysts note that strikes on refining capacity carry global ripple effects. Crude and refined-fuel prices have been sensitive to escalation news throughout the conflict, and renewed attacks could tighten fuel markets heading into winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

Broader Tensions: Iran, Hormuz, and the Middle East War

The collapse of the energy truce comes as the Middle East war enters its 231st day. BBC Verify analysis of U.K. maritime data indicates a record 12 ships reported being attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz from October 5 to 11 — the most in any week since that conflict began — while two ships sank near the strait this week as Iran escalated attacks, according to the Daily Brief.

Against that backdrop, Trump said this week the U.S. may have to target Pickaxe Mountain, a site linked to Iran’s nuclear program, to ensure Tehran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. The comments added to market jitters around oil prices and global shipping.

What Comes Next in the Ukraine War

With the energy truce dead, diplomats expect both sides to intensify long-range campaigns ahead of winter. The Pentagon’s internal report on the war’s first day, which Bloomberg says officials may withhold until after next month’s U.S. midterm elections, could add further political pressure.

For now, the fighting shows no sign of stopping: Ukrainian drones struck Russian refineries in defiance of Trump’s warnings, while Moscow has resumed its own attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities — a grim return to the tit-for-tat strikes that have defined much of the conflict.

This is a developing story. This article will be updated as new details emerge.