Zelensky: ban on strikes on Russian refineries lifted — 'we've had enough'

What happened

President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times, as cited by Ukrinform, that Ukraine had resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries. At Washington’s request, he said, Kyiv had refrained from attacking Russian refineries for three days while Moscow continued to hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

“The ban is lifted. We’ve had enough,” the president said. Ukraine had been ready to observe an “energy truce,” he stressed, but Russian strikes left hundreds of thousands without electricity. Zelensky said Kyiv would again halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure only if the United States provided more missiles for Patriot air-defence systems.

Ryazan strike

According to Reuters and the BBC, after Zelensky’s remarks Russia accused Ukraine of attacking a refinery in Ryazan region southeast of Moscow. A Ukrainian official confirmed to Reuters that the strike answered this week’s Russian ballistic and drone attacks that had violated the declared energy truce. The Kremlin said Ukraine’s targeting of Russian energy infrastructure ran counter to US peace efforts.

The Rosneft-owned Ryazan plant, Reuters noted, accounts for nearly 5% of Russia’s refining throughput and helps supply the capital region. Moscow claimed there was no “significant damage”; independent full verification of losses was not available at publication time.

Context of the pause

On 11 October US President Donald Trump said an energy truce would allegedly take effect on Sunday. Zelensky said he had not known of such an arrangement but confirmed Ukraine’s readiness for a mutual halt if Russia also stopped energy attacks. After Trump’s statement the Armed Forces received corresponding orders. On 14 October Zelensky reported that overnight Russia had used 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 attack drones and loitering munitions against energy and critical infrastructure in Kyiv, the surrounding region and Kharkiv.

Why it matters

Resuming refinery strikes deepens tension between Kyiv and Washington: Zelensky risks a sharper rift with the Trump administration, yet for Ukraine long-range drones against refining remain one of the few ways to pressure Russia’s war revenue and fuel logistics. Extra Patriot missiles are now explicitly tied to any new energy pause.