Zelensky lifts pause on Ukraine's strikes against Russian oil refineries
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President Volodymyr Zelensky lifted restrictions on Ukraine's strikes against Russian oil refineries after Russia continued to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure over the past days, Zelensky said in an interview with the Financial Times on Oct. 15.
"The block (on attacking refineries) is out. We’re done," Zelensky said.
U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Oct. 11, causing confusion in Kyiv. According to a senior Ukrainian official, Ukraine had no prior information about an energy ceasefire.
On Oct. 14, the Kremlin said that the extent of Trump's proposed energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was not specified, as Russian attacks against Ukraine's power grid and civilians continued.
Ukraine had refrained from strikes on Russia's refineries for three days to accommodate the U.S. request, Zelensky said, while Russia resumed its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Russia launched a large-scale ballistic missile attack on Kyiv overnight on Oct. 13-14, wreaking destruction in a residential neighborhood and targeting several energy facilities in Kyiv.
Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said that all three of the city's combined heat and power stations were attacked, as well as critical infrastructure in Kyiv Oblast that provide power to Kyiv and central regions.
"Overnight, the Russians deployed 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 strike drones and loitering munitions against our energy and critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, and Kharkiv," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on social media, adding 600,000 people were without power.
Zelensky said that Ukraine could only agree to halt strikes on Russia's energy infrastructure if Ukraine were to receive more U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles, calling it the "minimum."
Yet, ceasing strikes on Russian energy might also encourage further deals between Washington and Moscow, benefitting Putin's war machine, Zelensky told the Financial Times.
"The question will be when will the next deal be? Maybe it will be gas. Definitely it will be gas."
