As Trump and Zelenskyy talk about potential energy truce, Russia and Ukraine unleash new wave of strikes
Both countries traded fresh attacks overnight
Ukraine and Russia traded fresh strikes on their respective energy infrastructure overnight, underscoring the gap between the high-level talk of an energy ceasefire in the ongoing war and the reality on the ground.
asserted
Ukraine → talk → ground
Ukraine struck two Russian oil refineries, while Russia launched a barrage of missiles at southern Ukraine, hitting several targets, including an oil and gas facility that officials say is now so badly damaged it cannot be restored.
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it → strike → facility
The strikes come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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Zelenskyy → come → York
The two leaders spoke by phone on Sunday, and Trump reportedly raised concerns several times about soaring diesel prices.
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Trump → speak → prices
Zelenskyy said afterward that there are “ideas on the table for bringing peace closer, starting with strong de-escalation steps.”
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Zelenskyy → say → steps
But Zelenskyy has also said any agreement must protect Ukraine’s food exports and critical infrastructure, not just energy facilities.
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agreement → say → exports
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The Kremlin has previously said it is open to a moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure, but has insisted that Western sanctions must also be lifted.
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sanctions → rule → infrastructure
Last week, Trump said both sides had agreed to an energy ceasefire.
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sides → say → ceasefire
But the agreement appeared to exist largely on his social media feed, because strikes continued.
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strikes → appear → feed
For many Ukrainians, this has left little reason for optimism.
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this → leave → optimism
“I don't really believe in it, I don't, because there are rockets flying,” said Mykola Nechyporenko, a 55-year-old energy worker who spoke to CBC News as he and a crew repaired a damaged electrical cable in Kyiv on Tuesday, ahead of the winter.
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he → believe → winter
Strikes deepen pressure on Russia's fuel supply
Overnight, Ukraine hit a refinery in Russia’s Samara region, about 500 kilometres southeast of Moscow, as well as a refinery in Ufa, more than 1,100 km from the capital.
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Ukraine → deepen → capital
Those strikes followed what Moscow's mayor called Ukraine's largest drone attack yet on the capital.
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mayor → follow → capital
On the weekend, Kyiv launched more than 400 drones at a refinery in the city.
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Kyiv → launch → city
In recent months, repeated strikes have contributed to fuel shortages, prompting Moscow to ban diesel exports and begin importing fuel from other countries, including India.
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strikes → contribute → India
In a recent report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says Russia’s gasoline output is down 20 per cent compared with 2025 levels, while diesel production is estimated to have fallen by nearly 30 per cent.
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production → say → cent
The IEA says Russia has 32 major refineries, some of which have been attacked as many as 15 times since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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Moscow → say → 2022
In the first eight months of 2026, a Russian refinery was hit, on average, once every three days, according to the agency.
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refinery → hit → agency
The disruption is being felt by Russian drivers.
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disruption → feel → drivers
Videos posted on social media have shown shortages at gas stations, with frustration at times boiling over into fistfights at the pumps.
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frustration → post → pumps
The pressure on fuel supplies has also contributed to higher diesel prices internationally, according to the IEA.
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pressure → contribute → IEA
Russia targets Ukraine's energy system
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Russia → target → system
While Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia, Moscow has kept up its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
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Moscow → strike → infrastructure
Overnight, Russia launched several ballistic missiles at southern Ukraine, including at an energy facility in the Poltava region.
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Russia → launch → region
The facility is owned by Naftogaz, Ukraine’s largest oil and gas company.
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facility → own → Naftogaz
The company said at least five missiles struck the site.
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missiles → say → site
It had already been shut down, but Naftogaz said the latest damage was so severe that it would no longer be possible to restore and operate the facility.
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it → shut → facility
The state-owned company also operates a network of gas stations, called Ukrnafta.
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company → own → stations
Some are now being fortified with barriers in an effort to reduce damage if they come under attack.
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they → fortify → attack
Russia has already targeted several gas stations with drones, including one in the city of Boryspil on Aug. 20.
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Russia → target → Aug.
“There was an alert, and we went with the others behind the petrol station and then there was an explosion in the air and shrapnel came down,” said Valentyn Krasnopir, 63, whose leg was severely injured in the strike.
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leg → be → strike
He spoke to CBC News on Saturday from a hospital bed in Kyiv.
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He → speak → Kyiv
Krasnopir said he has lost hope in negotiations.
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he → say → negotiations
Iryna Panina, 36, feels the same sense of exhaustion.
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Panina → feel → exhaustion
She was startled awake overnight by what she described as the sound of an aircraft falling, followed by a large explosion.
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aircraft → startle → explosion
The windows in her apartment were blown out and furniture was thrown across the floor when a neighbouring five-storey building was hit in the attack.
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building → blow → attack
The first floor of that building caught on fire.
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floor → catch → fire
Two people were injured, and all of the residents were evacuated.
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all → injure → residents
On Tuesday afternoon, as residents gathered alongside emergency crews to try and start the cleanup, air defences rang out in the Ukrainian capital as crews attempted to shoot down a swarm of Russian drones.
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crews → gather → drones
“This war has continued too long for us.
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war → continue → us
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
