OMM Newsroom
Ukraine will resume attacks on Russian oil refineries after a three-day pause linked to an energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
In an interview published on Thursday, “Financial Times” reported that Zelenskyy backed Trump’s proposed energy ceasefire but said Russian attacks continued while Kyiv had suspended its strikes. Asked how much longer Ukraine would maintain the pause, he replied: “That’s it. The block is out.”
Zelenskyy said Ukraine faced ballistic missile attacks during the three-day halt and received no early-warning alerts. He also said Washington had previously warned Kyiv that intelligence sharing could be restricted if Ukraine did not stop attacking Russian energy facilities.
Discussing the reported intelligence restrictions alongside decisions concerning “Starlink”, Zelenskyy said he believed the latter was a decision by the American side and linked it to “SpaceX”. He said the issues together created “huge problems”.
Zelenskyy said he had told Trump that Ukraine would destroy Russian ballistic missile launchers if “Starlink” became available on Russian territory.
He also questioned whether energy agreements could lead to pressure on Ukraine to refrain from responding to Russian attacks. If a diesel deal meant Ukraine had to remain silent on the battlefield, he said, questions would arise about future deals, which he suggested could involve Russian gas.
“I don’t want to interfere in diesel deals,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine would respond to Russian strikes. He said he had asked for missiles for “Patriot” systems, arguing that Ukraine needed the means to defend itself if it was asked not to attack.
Serhii Beskrestnov, a freelance adviser to Zelenskyy on defense technology, said on Wednesday that speed restrictions had been imposed on “Starlink” satellites in Ukraine, limiting their speed to 100 mph (161 kph). He said Ukrainian defense forces had not been warned and that the restrictions disrupted a number of missions, adding that he believed the move was connected to the political situation.
US billionaire Elon Musk said “Starshield” systems are owned and controlled by the US government, and that decisions on speed or usage restrictions are made by the US military and ultimately the president.
In a separate interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Zelenskyy said he felt “betrayed” by the diesel agreement between Russia and the United States. Asked whether the “Starlink” speed restrictions were deliberate, he said he was sure those responsible knew what they were doing.
