Russian authorities reported that a major oil refinery in Ryazan, located approximately 180 kilometers south of Moscow, has been targeted in a drone attack. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, falling drone debris allegedly sparked a significant fire at the industrial site, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in regional infrastructure amid the prolonged conflict.
The escalation follows statements made by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Financial Times, in which he claimed that Kyiv was officially "done" with the unilateral "energy ceasefire" supposedly announced by US President Donald Trump over the weekend. Zelenskyy indicated that strikes on Russian refineries would immediately resume, citing continued Russian operations against Ukraine's own energy network. The US regime has reportedly pressured Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil facilities, arguing that suspending such strikes and pursuing diesel purchases from Moscow would help stabilize surging global fuel prices. However, Zelenskyy acknowledged the political complications of such arrangements in Washington, noting the inherent contradictions of doing business with an adversary while Ukrainians continue to suffer and die on the battlefield.
Adding to the diplomatic friction, Zelenskyy alleged that Ukraine's access to SpaceX’s Starshield military satellite network has been restricted, potentially increasing the vulnerability of Ukrainian forces. In response on social media, SpaceX owner Elon Musk stated that only the US military and Trump held the authority to limit the system's performance, while publicly calling for Zelenskyy to step down from leadership.
Amid these strained relations with Washington, Zelenskyy stated he would consider pausing energy-related strikes again only if the US regime supplies crucial Patriot interceptor systems. As diplomatic maneuvering continues, the Ukrainian leader is scheduled to meet with European officials in Brussels to lobby for accelerated financial assistance and stricter sanctions against Moscow, even as EU funding pledges fall dramatically short of Kyiv's projected defense expenditures for the upcoming year.
Source: www.aljazeera.com