WASHINGTON / KYIV — U.S. President Donald Trump announced an immediate “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, though subsequent reports showed continued attacks on power facilities.
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday, October 11, that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an immediate “energy ceasefire” to halt attacks on power grids in the ongoing war.
Despite Trump’s brief social media decree urging both nations not to break it, Kyiv reported that Russian forces continued striking critical energy installations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that while his country welcomed the announcement as positive news, Russian drone and bomb strikes persisted. A power plant in Kharkiv was reportedly targeted shortly after Trump’s declaration.
“Unfortunately, Ukrainian skies have been infested with Russian ‘shaheds’ all day today,” Zelenskyy said in an evening address. “There have been glide bomb strikes and strikes on our energy infrastructure too. A power plant in Kharkiv was attacked this evening.”
Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Ukraine remained prepared to halt attacks on Russian energy grids if Moscow reciprocated. However, he expressed frustration that Russian President Vladimir Putin consistently rejected de-escalation proposals.
“We are asking President Trump, (to) give them (a) signal, not (to) attack energy infrastructure of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated in an earlier interview.
The announcement followed tensions over U.S. leadership, as Trump suggested Ukraine needs a new president and criticized Zelenskyy regarding high U.S. diesel prices. In response, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine could hold elections within 60 days under a total ceasefire, though he emphasized that domestic society must choose its leaders and noted significant logistical hurdles under martial law.
Meanwhile, Ukraine maintained its long-range campaign, launching a drone strike that disabled a major Yandex data center in Vladimir, east of Moscow. The attack disrupted popular digital services across Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Armenia.
The diplomatic and aerial friction underscores the deep challenges facing any cessation of hostilities as both nations continue targeting each other’s strategic infrastructure.