We Are Done: Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Will Resume Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries

Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared an end to the pause announced following US President Donald Trump’s proposed energy ceasefire, deepening tensions between Kyiv and Washington.

“The block (on attacking refineries) is out. We’re done,” Zelenskyy told the Financial Times in an interview published on Thursday, October 15. His remarks came as Ukrainian drones struck a refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region, triggering a fire, according to Russian officials.

Trump announced an immediate energy ceasefire on Sunday, urging both sides to stop attacking energy infrastructure. However, the arrangement’s terms remained unclear, and Zelenskyy said Kyiv had temporarily halted strikes on Russian refineries for three days while Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities continued.

The Ukrainian president said Russian strikes had left around 600,000 people without electricity. He also accused Washington of pressuring Ukraine to stop targeting Russian energy infrastructure while pursuing a diesel supply arrangement with Moscow to ease rising fuel prices amid the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Zelenskyy criticised Trump’s apparent admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and warned that energy deals could provide Moscow with additional resources to sustain its war against Ukraine.

The dispute has also intensified over American military assistance. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had gone without US early-warning intelligence about incoming Russian ballistic missile attacks, while restrictions on Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications service had disrupted frontline operations and medium-range strikes against Russian military targets.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian officials were warned that intelligence sharing could be restricted if Kyiv continued its attacks on Russian energy facilities. Although the warning was later presented as a technical issue, he rejected that explanation, saying the disruption reflected a deliberate decision.

Trump has denied that Washington stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine. Musk, meanwhile, said the military-grade Starshield system was controlled by the US government, with usage restrictions determined by the US military and ultimately the president.

Asked whether Ukraine would consider halting refinery strikes to repair relations with the White House, Zelenskyy said Kyiv would require additional US-made Patriot interceptors in return, describing this as the minimum acceptable condition.