KYIV: Russia has attacked Ukraine's energy, oil and gas sectors dozens of times in the week since US President Donald Trump announced a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
"Since the American President announced the energy ceasefire a week ago, Russia has deliberately attacked Ukraine's energy and oil and gas sectors 76 times," he wrote on X, adding the latest strikes hit substations in the Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, and Odesa regions.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy described Trump's decision to waive sanctions on Russia and tariffs on its goods days before they were to take effect will embolden Moscow to keep attacking Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also predicted even more US sanctions relief.
"The decision to undo all of this, to block all of it, seems wrong to me," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "It definitely helps only the Russians."
An executive order issued by Trump on Friday night waived key Russia-related US sanctions and tariffs — including duties on the country's goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas — that had been scheduled to start next week under the legislation known as the Graham Act that he signed into law last month.
Trump said the waiver was in the national interests of the United States.
The law is meant to increase pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022.
Trump, however, has been warming toward Moscow while publicly criticising Zelenskyy, including suggesting Kyiv needs a new leader.
Zelenskyy said Trump's latest action emboldens Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It only fuels their satisfaction and their desire to keep killing people," wrote Zelenskyy.
"This certainly does not stop the war."
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