Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country would resume striking Russian oil refineries, adopting a more confrontational stance towards US President Donald Trump. The decision came after Moscow continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure despite Trump's announcement of an "energy ceasefire" that was never publicly confirmed by other parties. Russia claimed on Thursday that Ukraine had attacked an oil refinery in Ryazan, south of Moscow.
Zelensky told the Financial Times that Ukraine had paused its refinery strikes for several days following Trump's orders, despite Russian claims that Ukraine attempted attacks during that period. However, Zelensky said that despite Ukraine's compliance, the country saw its access to key US military capabilities and intelligence restricted. He specifically flagged concerns about disruptions to Starshield, the satellite network used by militaries, which he said was slowed over Wednesday due to deliberate action rather than technical problems.
The Ukrainian president warned of a "dangerous" cutting off of intelligence sharing with Kyiv, which depends heavily on early warnings to defend its cities from Russian air strikes. Since Russia's 2022 invasion, Ukraine has faced repeated strikes on its power infrastructure and gradually expanded retaliatory strikes into Russian territory. Zelensky made pointed comments about Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting Trump's stated admiration for long-serving authoritarian leaders.