Russia Hits Ukraine Power Plants Despite Trump Energy Ceasefire Claim

Russian forces struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Sunday, October 11, hours after United States President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking each other’s energy facilities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian drone struck a power plant in Kyiv, causing electricity outages in the capital. He later reported an attack on the CHP-5 combined heat and power plant in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky said Russian drones and glide bombs had continued targeting Ukrainian territory throughout the day, raising questions about whether the ceasefire announced by Trump had taken effect.

On Truth Social, Trump declared that an energy ceasefire was effective immediately, stating that both sides had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure. He provided no further details about the terms or implementation of the arrangement.

Zelensky said the announcement had come as a surprise and that Kyiv was awaiting clarification from Washington. He expressed support for the proposal but stressed that Russia must also commit to ending its attacks.

“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president added that Russia had carried out more than 200 strikes on the country’s electricity generation and transmission facilities over the preceding week, alongside 17 attacks on oil and gas installations.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The attacks have damaged electricity and heating systems, leaving residents vulnerable to outages as colder weather approaches.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has conducted drone strikes against Russian oil refineries and other energy facilities, arguing that they generate revenue used to finance Moscow’s war effort.

Trump’s announcement came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries and a US decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel supplies.

Several European leaders voiced support for Zelensky and called for a genuine, reciprocal ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron said Russia’s continued attacks showed the need for an effective agreement protecting energy infrastructure.

As of Sunday, Russia had not publicly confirmed its agreement to the proposed ceasefire. The continued strikes therefore left uncertainty over whether the initiative would lead to an immediate reduction in attacks.