Russia Strikes Ukraine Energy Grid After Trump Ceasefire Claim

Russian forces launched a series of missile and drone strikes across Ukraine on October 12 and 13, targeting power plants, gas facilities, and residential areas. The escalation occurred immediately after Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had secured an energy ceasefire to halt attacks on oil refineries and power grids. The U.S. president simultaneously paused sanctions on Russian diesel exports to lower global fuel prices before the November midterm elections.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied knowledge of the deal, stating he learned of the truce through the media. He noted that Russia immediately violated the purported agreement by striking the Kharkivsʹka Tets 5 power plant and Naftogaz gas production sites. The attacks caused widespread blackouts in Kyiv and Izyum, killed at least seven people, and injured dozens. In Kyiv, a drone strike hit a residential complex in the Darnitskyi district, killing two people and injuring nine.

Russia's Ministry of Defence confirmed strikes on port infrastructure in Odessa, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explicitly rejected a proposal for a 60-day truce, stating the Kremlin does not want a ceasefire. In response, the European Union approved its largest sanctions package since 2022, adding over 1,500 individuals and businesses to its banned list. Zelenskyy characterized subsequent Ukrainian drone strikes against Yandex data centers in Russia as a symmetrical response and vowed further retaliation if Russian attacks on the power grid continue.