Ukraine Resumes Strikes on Russian Refineries Defying US Pressure
Kyiv has resumed long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refineries, directly challenging pressure from the United States ahead of the midterm elections. The attacks occurred shortly after a six-day humanitarian ceasefire in the occupied town of Oleshky ended on Sunday night. Russian state media reported that Ukrainian drones ignited fires at the Kstovo refinery in Nizhny Novgorod oblast overnight. This incident followed a major strike earlier on Sunday against a large Rosneft-owned facility in Samara oblast. Kremlin officials stated that the raids restarted on Friday, complaining that Kyiv was "simply ignoring" American wishes.
The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that Ukraine agreed to White House pressure to stop bombing Russian energy infrastructure. However, Ukrainian officials told the Kyiv Independent newspaper that they never accepted a demand from Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, to pause refinery strikes for thirty days. President Donald Trump has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rising global fuel prices and lifted sanctions on Russian diesel last month. Zelenskyy has not acknowledged the latest refinery attacks, likely to avoid angry US reprisals. Instead, he claimed his armed forces hit a defense industry enterprise in Russia’s Rostov region that manufactures missiles, destroying a Pantsir missile system as part of continuing "long-range sanctions." He stated that Ukraine is obliged to retaliate due to Moscow’s relentless campaign using drones and ballistic missiles against vulnerable city-based energy facilities.
Russia struck four Ukrainian regions overnight, cutting electricity to hundreds of thousands of households. Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the intensity of strikes is very high and that Russians are seeking to exploit the deficit of ballistic missile interceptors. Kyiv experienced power cuts lasting eight to ten hours on Sunday after a critical thermal power plant was damaged. Zelenskyy also claimed Russia is suffering record losses, with 54,400 military personnel killed or wounded in October, the highest monthly figure since the full-scale war began. He added that Ukraine recaptured 96.2 square kilometers of territory last month, surpassing the 10.4 square kilometers seized by Moscow, emphasizing that "Russia is losing." The attacks came before the Oleshky ceasefire brokered by First Lady Melania Trump ended. Hundreds of residents were reunited over the weekend, with both sides hailing the evacuation mission as a success. Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets called it an important step in joint humanitarian efforts.
Ukrainian observers believe the Russian military used the truce to reinforce positions and swap exhausted troops garrisoned in Oleshky. The town sits on the left bank of the Dnipro River opposite Kherson. Observers consider a renewed Russian onslaught inevitable. Pope Francis expressed hope that cooperation during the Oleshky ceasefire would pave the way for broader peace efforts. Trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US are likely later this month. Kremlin officials said Vladimir Putin is willing to talk directly to Zelenskyy by phone but insisted European leaders should not be involved. There is little prospect of a wider breakthrough as Putin’s maximalist demands remain unchanged, insisting Ukraine give up all of eastern Donetsk oblast and further territory in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces.
This report was produced in the Europe Brief News newsroom.
