Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian oil refineries after energy ceasefire collapses

Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries after a so-called energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine collapsed. The renewed attacks came after Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was abandoning the ceasefire, which had been abruptly declared by Donald Trump last week. Neither Russia nor Ukraine said they had agreed to the arrangement.

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Trump described the strikes as a "disgrace" in an interview aired on Thursday, saying they were pushing up global oil prices. He said there were many other targets Ukraine could hit, but argued that attacks on diesel refineries were harmful because diesel is needed in global markets. He also renewed his criticism of Zelenskyy, saying he was more difficult to deal with than Vladimir Putin.

The dispute has added to strains between Kyiv and Washington at a sensitive point in the wider war. Trump had eased sanctions on Russia in exchange for Moscow releasing large amounts of diesel on to global markets, a move that Zelenskyy criticised as helping Russia continue its full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian president said the arrangement would not help end the war, which began more than four and a half years ago.

The collapse of the ceasefire matters because energy infrastructure has become a central lever in the conflict, with refinery output affecting both military logistics and civilian fuel supplies. Any disruption to Russian oil processing can have consequences beyond the battlefield, including pressure on prices and supply chains. The latest exchange also shows how the war is increasingly tied to wider diplomatic and market calculations.

The row comes amid broader friction over US support for Ukraine. The report said relations had already soured after Ukraine said Starlink services had been restricted, affecting drone strike missions and air defences. Zelenskyy said during a visit to London that the sudden restriction left him feeling personally betrayed and that he had lost a partner.

British defence secretary Wes Streeting said his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, had assured him that the satellite communications system remained vital. What remains unclear is how long the renewed strikes will continue and whether any channel exists to revive the collapsed energy ceasefire. It is also not clear whether the reported restrictions on Starlink will have lasting operational effects on Ukrainian forces.

The next developments to watch are any further statements from Kyiv, Moscow and Washington, and whether the dispute feeds into wider efforts to end the war.

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