Extract from ABC News
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine would only halt energy strikes on Russia if it received US-made Patriot interceptors. (Supplied: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service)
In short:
Ukraine has struck a Russian oil refinery after President Zelenskyy said he was "done" supporting a US-orchestrated ceasefire on energy targets.
The block has been ignored by Russia thus far, despite Kyiv suspending attacks on Russian refineries.
What's next?
Ukrainians worry that the growing rift between itself and the US could have severe consequences on the battlefield, where military still rely on technology provided by Washington.
Ukraine has struck a Russian oil refinery after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was "done" supporting a US-orchestrated ceasefire on energy targets which has been ignored by Russia.
US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on energy, with Kyiv then suspending strikes on Russian refineries.
Mr Trump blames the attacks on energy infrastructure for raising diesel prices on global markets.
But in the days that followed, Russia rained down deadly missile and drone strikes on energy targets such as power stations, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the ceasefire on energy infrastructure is "done". (AP: Alex Brandon)
In an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday, Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's patience had run out.
"The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We're done,"he said.
Mr Zelenskyy also made clear he believed changes in the capability of the military version of SpaceX's Starlink receptors this week, which have curbed Ukraine's ability to use them to pilot its drones, were a policy decision.
"It was not a technical problem, it was the will," Mr Zelenskyy said.
In a social media post overnight, SpaceX boss Elon Musk said usage of the military version of Starlink, known as Starshield, was ultimately up to Mr Trump.
"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," Mr Musk wrote.
Biggest rift with Washington
By walking away from Mr Trump's demand, Mr Zelenskyy risks deepening the biggest rift between Kyiv and Washington since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Although Mr Trump has described the ceasefire as a requirement for both Moscow and Kyiv, his public comments have focused mainly on Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries.
At the weekend, Mr Trump said the strikes "damn well better stop".
Mr Trump has long had a testy relationship with Mr Zelenskyy and berated him in the White House in February 2025.
But his sharp turn against Kyiv in recent days has little precedent.
He first angered Ukraine last week by abruptly lifting sanctions on Russian diesel, and then called on Ukraine to replace Mr Zelenskyy.
Over the past several days, Ukrainian officials have reported that they have not received the usual warnings from Western allies about incoming Russian missiles, which rely on US satellite detectors.
Mr Trump has denied withholding intelligence. Mr Zelenskyy said the failure to provide the warnings had been presented to Kyiv as a technical glitch.
President Donald Trump and Starlink CEO Elon Musk. (Getty Images, Kevin Dietsch)
Refinery supplying Moscow hit
Ukraine has been using its long-range drones to target Russian refineries and logistics in recent months, which it says is its only answer to nearly five years of relentless Russian bombardment. The attacks have caused fuel shortages in Russia.
Mr Trump, under pressure to lower fuel prices, especially for diesel which has reached record highs since he launched a war against Iran in February, says the Ukrainian attacks are driving up global prices.
US President Donald Trump denies withholding intelligence on Russia's ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine. (Truth Social: Donald Trump)
Ukraine's latest target was a refinery in the Ryazan region south east of Moscow, which is owned by state oil major Rosneft and accounts for nearly 5 per cent of Russia's refinery throughout, helping supply the capital.
Regional governor Pavel Malkov said in a post on Telegram that a major Ukranian drone attack had caused a fire at the refinery.
Damage was being assessed and emergency services were at the scene.
A Ukrainian official confirmed that Ukraine had hit a Russian refinery overnight in response to Moscow's heavy ballistic missile and drone attacks this week that violated the energy truce.
In the latest attacks on Ukraine, three people were killed and six wounded in the central region of Kirovohrad overnight, as Russia launched more than 500 drones.
State-owned energy company Naftogaz said a gas extraction facility in Poltava was damaged and operations were suspended.
The Kremlin said on Thursday that Ukraine's targeting of Russian energy infrastructure ran counter to US peace efforts.
It said earlier this week that the scope of the energy ceasefire had never been determined and work was still ongoing to do so.
Reuters
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