Zelenskyy accuses Russia of breaching Trump’s announced energy ceasefire

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russia had struck energy facilities despite an energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on Sunday. Speaking by video link to the Warsaw Security Forum, he said Russian forces hit a power plant in Kharkiv, a gas production facility and a civilian gas station, AP reported.

Ukraine’s state energy company Naftogaz said an overnight attack damaged critical equipment at its gas sites in the Kharkiv region.

Russian violations of the energy ceasefire announced by President Trump

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine

Trump announced the truce on social media. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov would not say whether Moscow had agreed to it, saying only that contacts were ongoing, and he rejected Zelenskyy’s offer of a 60-day full ceasefire to allow elections. Trump later said there had been violations on both sides.

Ukraine’s air force said it downed or suppressed 89 of 121 Russian drones launched overnight into Monday. Russia said it intercepted 151 Ukrainian drones.

In London, Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed the announcement and told MPs that Zelenskyy had assured him Ukraine would implement it immediately once a start date was confirmed.

Two days before the announcement, the US temporarily eased sanctions on Russian diesel. Trump made a similar announcement on 14 September that never took effect, AP noted.