Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia struck six energy facilities in the hours following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an energy ceasefire. Despite Trump declaring on Sunday that the truce would be effective immediately, Zelensky reported that Russian forces targeted gas stations and power infrastructure across the country.
Strikes on Energy Infrastructure
Zelensky told Fox News that Russia attacked Ukrainian energy sites while Ukraine did not launch any attacks. He suggested the strikes were a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Trump’s proposal. The Ukrainian president said 33 people were injured in the attacks on energy facilities.
Ukraine’s state-owned grid operator, Ukrenergo, reported new power cuts in Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia on Monday. The operator attributed the outages to damage caused by Russian attacks on energy equipment. Electricity rationing has been introduced in parts of Ukraine to prevent overloading damaged systems.
Ukrinform, Ukraine’s state news agency, reported that blackouts occurred in the city of Izyum after a Russian strike destroyed power grids. Energy and railway infrastructure in western Ukraine was also targeted overnight.
Residential Attack in Kharkiv
Emergency services responded to a Russian drone strike on a residential building in Kharkiv on Monday. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted on Telegram that a drone hit a 25-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district. Several cars in the building’s courtyard were on fire. Klitschko reported one person dead and 11 injured in the incident.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Ukraine does not deserve the respite a ceasefire would bring. This statement came as Zelensky backed Trump’s energy ceasefire but highlighted Russia’s continued attacks on power plants.
International Reaction and Context
Trump stated on Monday that the ceasefire agreement was reached because he said both sides agreed. He added that the war has to get settled. For months, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged strikes on energy infrastructure, disrupting supplies on both sides. Moscow has called the installations legitimate targets that support Ukraine’s military operation. Zelensky has characterized Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russian territory as an effort to reduce Russia’s ability to finance the war.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain strongly supports Trump’s call for a sustained energy ceasefire to start now. France, Canada, and the EU also expressed support. However, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc would welcome an energy ceasefire when it holds. She noted at a meeting of EU foreign ministers that Russia has not yet stuck to the agreement. Estonia’s foreign minister said the ceasefire was not working.
Global conflicts have pushed fuel prices higher ahead of the US midterm elections. On Friday, Trump announced a plan to import Russian diesel into the US. He has been urging Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil infrastructure so Russia can fulfill the deal to release diesel to the US and the global market. The deal temporarily undoes US sanctions on energy imports, which Zelensky described as a gift to Putin.
Analysis by BBC Verify found that both sides have increased attacks in the lead up to the next winter. In 2026, BBC Verify recorded 273 strikes on Russian-controlled oil and gas facilities, more than double the 124 recorded over the same period in 2025. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project recorded 2.4 times as many reported Russian attacks affecting Ukraine’s energy network so far this year.
Source: BBC
