Zelensky announces renewed strikes on Russian oil, accuses Moscow of escalation

Ukraine resumed its long-range military operations against Russia's oil sector on Friday, following a pause in attacks on refineries in recent weeks due to US pressure. The move comes as Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure persist, amid stalled efforts to secure an energy truce and end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the continuation of attacks targeting Russia's oil refining sector, stating that these strikes are in response to Russia's ongoing assaults on Ukraine's energy facilities and civilian infrastructure.

In a post on X, Zelensky said Kyiv is continuing its long-range strikes, praising the performance of Ukrainian military, defense, and security forces for their precision and persistence in carrying out operations.

The Ukrainian president accused Moscow of continuing to target power plants, energy networks, heating facilities, water supplies, and civilian transport infrastructure using Shahed drones and missiles. He argued that Russia refuses to take steps to de-escalate, despite calls from international partners.

He added that Ukraine has already determined its next responses to Russian attacks, stressing that it is Moscow that must decide to end the war.

Discussing prospects for ending the conflict, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine does not need to be convinced of the need for peace as soon as possible. He said that Ukraine's long- and medium-range strikes, along with pressure from Kyiv's partners on Moscow, are factors pushing toward genuine negotiations.

The resumption of Ukrainian attacks coincided with power outages reported in seven regions of the country, including the capital Kyiv, on Friday. The outages followed Russian strikes on energy infrastructure overnight and in the morning, marking the latest wave of attacks on Ukraine's power grid.

Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of 21 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory during the day, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

The renewed strikes come after weeks of pressure from US President Donald Trump on Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, as part of efforts to limit the war's impact on global energy markets.

Ukraine had suspended its attacks on Russian refineries in late October, after the US midterm elections, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, Kyiv linked the suspension to Moscow refraining from targeting Ukrainian energy facilities.

Trump previously announced on October 11 that a truce had been reached in the energy sector between Russia and Ukraine, aimed at halting mutual attacks on energy production and supply facilities.

However, Trump later criticized Kyiv's resumption of attacks on Russian oil refineries, calling them "shameful" and arguing that they contribute to rising global energy prices.