Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy angrily accused the United States of betraying kyiv with the “dangerous” withdrawal of critical support for its defense against Russia. Ukraine postponed attacks for three days after President Donald Trump’s unilateral “energy ceasefire” announcement, but accused Russia of repeatedly attacking its power grid. Zelenskyy expressed growing frustration over the Kremlin’s failure to comply with the truce and what he sees as U.S. attempts to pressure kyiv after gaps in intelligence sharing about Russian attacks and restrictions on Starlink internet service. Satellite Internet functionality while on the move via Starshield, the military version of the SpaceX service, was restored Thursday morning, according to a Ukrainian Defense Ministry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. In an interview with the Financial Times, published on Thursday morning, Zelenskyy indicated that his patience had already run out. “The blockade (on the attack on the refineries) is over. We are done,” Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy acknowledged on Wednesday that he felt betrayed by what was happening with the US. Sergei Supinsky / AFP via Getty Images Hours later a fire was reported at an oil refinery in the western Ryazan region, Governor Pavel Malkov said. The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine had “attempted a massive attack on the Ryazan oil refinery.” Ukraine has been reeling from a sudden reversal by Trump, who struck a diesel deal with Russia in an apparent attempt to ease pressure at the pump ahead of the midterm elections. He then demanded that Ukraine stop attacking Russian oil facilities and called for Zelenskyy to be replaced as leader. Trump’s “energy ceasefire” appeared to take both sides by surprise. It has blamed the Ukrainian campaign for driving a rise in energy prices, despite the impact of its own war with Iran. The measures caused frustration and confusion in Ukraine and Europe, intensifying concerns about the extent to which the United States remained an ally in the fight against Russia. Ukrainian attacks on oil facilities have caused fuel shortages within Russia. AFP via Getty Images That concern was exacerbated on Wednesday when kyiv said it was facing a slowdown of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite terminals, disrupting battlefield missions and its ability to intercept Russian drones attacking Ukrainian cities. Ukraine was invaded by Russian drones on Wednesday, and as of midnight Thursday more than 850 had filled the skies over Ukraine, Zelenskyy said. “And this comes precisely at a time when the speed of our defensive capabilities is being artificially restricted,” he said, referring to the Starlink slowdown. Musk, a staunch Trump ally, wrote on social media that decisions about restricting the use of Starshield, the military version of his company’s satellite system, were up to the U.S. military and, ultimately, Trump. Overnight, Musk said it was “time for Zelenskyy to go.” The Defense Ministry source said kyiv was still seeking clarification on the reasons for Wednesday’s strangulation of the technology, which Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications, drone operations and air defense. Ukrainian officials said Starlink was used to intercept jet drones that Moscow has launched against Ukrainian cities in recent months. Evgeniy Maloletka/APIIt came amid growing questions about whether the United States has stopped or limited sharing critical military intelligence with Ukraine, after Zelenskyy said several ballistic attacks on kyiv did not come with the usual advance warning from his partners. Just days after Trump eased sanctions on Russia’s diesel exports and criticized Zelenskyy, European and Ukrainian officials told NBC News they believed the moves were likely aimed at pressuring kyiv to make concessions at the negotiating table amid a deadlock in peace talks. Ukraine relies heavily on U.S. intelligence and the Starshield satellite network to defend itself against Russian drone and missile attacks and attack Russian forces with its own drones. A reduction in intelligence assistance or access to satellites could seriously undermine Ukraine’s battlefield prospects just as winter sets in, according to military experts. Their American counterparts told Ukrainian military officials that “if it is not stopped [the energy strikes]”We will block intelligence,” Zelenskyy said, according to the FT, although it was later presented to kyiv as a technical problem. The withdrawal of intelligence and the simultaneous weakening of Starlink satellite internet were “dangerous” for Ukraine at a time when Russia is stepping up its attacks, he told the newspaper, adding that fighting without the United States would be “very difficult.” In a separate interview with Piers Morgan on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said he felt “betrayed” by Trump’s actions. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Zelenskyy’s accusations and the renewed Ukrainian attacks.
