Russia Strikes Ukraine Energy Grid After Trump Ceasefire Claim

Russian forces launched a series of missile, drone, and artillery strikes across Ukraine between October 11 and 12, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens. The attacks targeted residential buildings and critical infrastructure, including the Kharkivsʹka Tets 5 power plant and railway networks in the Zhytomyr region. These strikes caused widespread blackouts in Izyum and Kyiv, forcing the national grid operator Ukrenergo to implement hourly power outages.

The escalation occurred shortly after Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had secured an energy ceasefire to stop attacks on energy infrastructure and oil refineries. The Kremlin provided no public confirmation of the deal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially mocked the claim, stating he learned of the truce through the media and noting that Vladimir Putin does not read Truth Social. While Zelenskyy later welcomed the idea of a deal, he vowed to retaliate if Russia does not agree to an energy ceasefire this winter.

The diplomatic rift deepened as Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports to lower global fuel prices before the U.S. midterm elections. Zelenskyy condemned the move as weak, arguing it provides billions in revenue to fund the Russian war effort. Trump responded by demanding Ukraine stop hitting Russian refineries and suggested the country needs a new leader. European leaders and Baltic ministers criticized the U.S. decision, arguing the proposed ceasefire disproportionately favors Russia.