Ukrainian drone attacks appeared to spare Russian oil refineries overnight into Monday following a surprise announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that an “energy ceasefire” between the countries has taken immediate effect.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted 151 Ukrainian drones over 10 Russian regions and annexed Crimea overnight. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 37 drones were destroyed as they approached the capital between Sunday evening and Monday morning.
But unlike previous attacks, local authorities and independent media reported no new strikes on Russian oil refineries, which Ukraine has repeatedly targeted in recent months.
“The Armed Forces of Ukraine have received all the appropriate orders,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address Sunday.
Zelensky said Russian forces had struck a combined heat and power plant in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, that evening. A Ukrainian official said the attack took place after Trump’s ceasefire announcement.
“Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia does,” Zelensky said, adding that Kyiv was awaiting details of talks between Washington and Moscow and expected President Vladimir Putin to honor Trump’s announcement.
The Kremlin has not formally confirmed or denied agreeing to any ceasefire terms. Sources close to the Russian government told Bloomberg that Moscow remains skeptical that Washington can deliver a binding deal on terms favorable to Russia.
Russian attacks on other targets continued Monday, with the Defense Ministry saying its forces struck a cargo vessel carrying military supplies near the Ukrainian port of Odesa. Local officials said Russian shelling and air attacks injured at least 12 people in Kharkiv that morning.
In Russia’s southern Rostov region, firefighters continued battling a blaze at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery following a drone attack Saturday, the exiled news outlet Astra reported.
Authorities in the southwestern Belgorod region said one civilian was killed and three others were injured Sunday evening.
Reuters contributed reporting.
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