Russia attacked a power plant in Kharkiv hours after President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire that would protect energy facilities from attack.
Trump’s Sunday statement surprised Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that his government learned of the deal from news reports. Moscow did not confirm that it had accepted the terms.
T-90 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russian T-90 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities were continuing Monday.
Speaking via video link at the Warsaw Security Forum, Zelenskyy suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin missed Trump’s weekend news conference entirely.
“It was clear that Putin does not read Truth Social,” he said.
Trump Announces a Ceasefire That Kyiv Knows Nothing About
President Trump announced the deal on Truth Social on Sunday, saying it would take effect immediately.
“Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote.
He provided no details on what they agreed to, how they would enforce compliance, or what consequences would follow if either party continued the attacks.
Ukraine, it seemed, had not been consulted.
“We did not know about that,” President Zelenskyy told the Warsaw Security Forum Monday.
Kyiv was willing to accept the deal – with one condition: Russia had to stop attacking energy facilities.
Moscow was less forthcoming, though. When asked whether Russia had agreed to Trump’s ceasefire proposal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov offered few details.
“Contacts are ongoing,” Peskov said when addressing reporters, the Associated Press reported.
Peskov later said Moscow wanted a permanent solution rather than a temporary truce, and neither statement included confirmation that Russia had accepted Trump’s offer.
Russian Drones Continue to Target Ukrainian Cities
Whatever the agreement, the attacks did not stop.
Zelenskyy said Russian forces had attacked a thermal power plant in Kharkiv following Trump’s statement, as well as a gas production facility and a civilian gas station.
The attacks hit across the Kharkiv region.
A Russian drone attack on the village of Pisochyn on Sunday evening killed three people and injured nine, including children, Ukrainian prosecutors said.
The attack targeted a populated area near apartments and shops.
In Kharkiv, rescuers searched damaged buildings after more Russian drone strikes.
Nataliia Minka, a resident, spoke to Reuters after taking shelter with her child following the attack.
“Ten minutes had passed since they promised they wouldn’t target energy facilities,” Ms. Minka said.
The attack continued into the night.
Ukraine’s air force reported that 89 of 121 Russian drones had been shot down or intercepted.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have shot down 151 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Neither government’s figures could be verified.
Trump’s Russian Diesel Deal Sparks Outrage
Trump’s ceasefire announcement followed equally controversial comments on Friday, when he said he had struck a deal to free up Russian diesel supplies for international markets.
The agreement was meant to reduce prices ahead of the November U.S. midterm elections. Washington also relaxed sanctions to permit Russian diesel exports.
Trump blamed Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries for fuel price increases and told Zelenskyy to “damn well stop” targeting them.
The deal angered Kyiv, which views Russian energy exports as a revenue source for Moscow’s war.
It also drew bipartisan criticism in Washington.
A group of senators urged the administration to “immediately reverse course” and stop giving Putin a “financial lifeline” while he continued attacks on Ukraine.
European officials were equally unimpressed with the new initiative.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, speaking at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, said she was not sure if Moscow intended to honor the ceasefire.
“We haven’t yet seen that Russia will also stick to it,” Ms. Kallas said.
She added that a truce protecting civilians would be preferable to one that applied only to energy facilities.
Ukraine Wants Russia to Stop Attacking Its Energy Grid
Kyiv has not ruled out a ceasefire, but Zelenskyy said any deal should apply to both sides.
“We agree if they agree,” he said Monday.
Ukraine has often targeted Russian oil refineries, including those far from the front lines, while Russia has attacked Ukraine’s electricity and gas facilities.
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had not attacked Russian refineries overnight, but added that Kyiv would continue to do so if Moscow did not reciprocate the restraint.
He also called on Washington to keep economic pressure on Russia rather than ease sanctions.
“We need American pressure on Russia, not sanctions relief, not concessions, but real pressure,” Zelenskyy told the Warsaw Security Forum.
There is reason to be skeptical of another ceasefire announcement.
Trump made a similar statement last month, on Sept. 14, but the proposed pause in energy facility attacks never happened.
This time, Zelenskyy said Kyiv was waiting for details of what Washington told Moscow, and what the U.S. planned to do to ensure Russia honored the deal.
For now, Kyiv is asking whether the Kremlin even agreed to stop the attacks.
As of Monday, Moscow had not confirmed that it had.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
