Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian oil refineries after three-day pause
Ukraine has started hitting Russian oil plants again after a three-day pause, Reuters and NBC News reported. Hours after Zelenskyy said "We're done," the FT reported, according to Reuters, a fire hit a refinery in Russia's Ryazan region. He said Russia kept striking Ukraine's power grid while Kyiv held off for a truce that Trump announced.
Ukraine has resumed drone strikes on Russian oil refineries after holding off for three days, Reuters and NBC News reported.
Kyiv paused the attacks after President Donald Trump's surprise announcement on Sunday of an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Reuters reported. Trump has blamed Ukraine's refinery strikes for raising diesel prices on world markets.
In an interview with the Financial Times published Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's patience had run out. "The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We're done," he said, the FT reported, according to Reuters. Zelenskyy said Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy system had left 600,000 people without power on Wednesday.
Hours later, Ryazan Gov. Pavel Malkov said a fire had broken out at an oil refinery, both outlets reported. Reuters said he blamed a major drone attack in a post on Telegram. "The material damage is now being assessed. Emergency services are working at the scene," he said, according to Reuters. Russia's Defense Ministry said Ukraine had "attempted a massive attack on the Ryazan oil refinery," NBC News reported.
The refinery is owned by Rosneft, supplies fuel to Moscow and accounts for almost 5% of Russia's oil refining throughput, Reuters reported. Malkov said classes were canceled at 14 schools and 25 kindergartens in parts of the city, Meduza reported.
Asked whether Ukraine would stop the strikes to mend ties with Washington, Zelenskyy said he would agree only if he got more U.S.-made Patriot interceptors, Reuters reported. He called that the "minimum."
Zelenskyy also told the FT that the loss of U.S. intelligence and slower Starlink service were "dangerous" for Ukraine, NBC News reported, citing the newspaper. A Ukrainian Defense Ministry source told NBC News that the satellite service was at least partly restored Thursday. The White House did not immediately respond to NBC News.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas backed the strikes. "We should squeeze Russia, not Ukraine, to surrender, to end this war," she said, the Kyiv Independent reported.
What we know: Ukraine says it has ended its pause, and a Ryazan refinery caught fire hours later.
What we don't: How badly the refinery was damaged and how Trump will respond.
Where outlets agree Reuters and NBC News both report that a refinery in Russia's Ryazan region caught fire hours after Zelenskyy told the Financial Times that Ukraine was ending its pause.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.