Zelenskyy Ends Three-Day Refinery Truce With Strike on Ryazan, Defying Trump Energy Ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered a resumption of drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, ending a three-day self-imposed pause and directly defying President Donald Trump's call for an "energy ceasefire." The first strike of the renewed campaign hit the Ryazan refinery overnight, confirmed by the regional governor. Zelenskyy told the Financial Times that Russia had continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure and civilian targets throughout the pause, including ballistic missiles and nearly 1,000 drones launched since the preceding day, leaving him no choice but to resume. A Russian drone struck Kyiv's Pechersk district on October 15, injuring six people and setting a car ablaze.

Zelenskyy said he honored the truce for exactly three days to avoid being blamed for breaking it, but declared "we're done" after Russia showed no reciprocal restraint. He also accused the United States of withdrawing intelligence support and restricting Ukraine's access to military-grade Starlink, calling the moves a betrayal. Elon Musk responded on X that any speed or usage limits on the Starshield system are "decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," placing responsibility on Trump. Business Insider subsequently reported that Starshield access had been at least partially restored. Senator Thom Tillis and other GOP members pressed Musk over the restrictions, while six Republican senators, including Mitch McConnell, demanded Trump rescind the Russia diesel deal as pump prices for diesel reached $6.30 a gallon.

The Kremlin said Ukrainian strikes contradict US peace efforts but called the latest attack "nothing new," and Putin said publicly that no significant damage had been caused while simultaneously warning Russia would respond. Moscow also confirmed it had restarted diesel exports under its agreement with Trump, though Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak declined to discuss the specifics, calling them a commercial secret. The Kremlin said the restart would have a positive but incomplete impact on global markets. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the Trump-Putin diesel deal "hostile" to Ukraine, while Bulgaria broke with Western consensus to welcome it. Zelenskyy, attending the European Council summit in Brussels, warned that the US is "losing a strong partner" and said Trump needs to stop "picking sides." NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed the importance of an energy ceasefire with Zelenskyy in Brussels, though no agreement was announced.