The White House’s unilateral effort to negotiate an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine has collapsed as Moscow sent a record swarm of drones overnight to attack infrastructure in central Ukraine and Kyiv appeared to resume strikes on Russian oil refineries – despite warnings from Donald Trump.
asserted
Kyiv → negotiate → Trump
Moscow accused Ukraine of launching a strike against a Russian oil refinery in the Ryazan region, its first since Trump abruptly declared an “energy ceasefire” that neither Russia nor Ukraine said they had agreed to.
asserted
they → accuse → that
Trump has demanded that Volodymyr Zelenskyy stop attacking Russian oil refineries, claiming it was the cause of a global rise in the price of diesel fuel.
asserted
it → demand → fuel
Zelenskyy said on Wednesday he would resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, after briefly halting them to demonstrate that Ukraine was ready for peace talks.
asserted
Ukraine → say → talks
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out.
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block → attack → refineries
We’re done,” he told the Financial Times.
asserted
he → do → Times
He also attacked the gap in US intelligence sharing as “dangerous”.
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He → attack → sharing
Images from Ryazan showed flames at the refinery, which regional officials said had been targeted by 69 drones and four Flamingo cruise missiles.
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officials → show → drones
Debris from a drone struck by anti-aircraft fire had hit the refinery and sparked the fire, the ministry claimed.
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ministry → strike → fire
In Ukraine, more than 360 Russian drones targeted Kirovohrad, a central region that has been hit less hard than others closer to Russia, in attacks that killed three and injured six.
asserted
that → target → six
“The enemy deliberately hit critical infrastructure, transport enterprises, logistics facilities and residential homes,” the regional governor, Andriy Raikovych, said in a statement.
asserted
governor → hit → statement
Zelenskyy said Russia had attacked Ukraine with more than 850 Shahed drones at a time when the speed of Ukraine’s defensive capabilities was being “artificially restricted”, a reference to the sudden limitations on Ukraine’s use of the Starlink and Starshield mobile internet terminals.
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speed → say → terminals
“It is obvious that Russia deliberately chose to escalate its attacks after receiving sanctions relief and seeing attempts to pressure Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in his social media post on X, referring to a growing quarrel with the Trump administration.
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Zelenskyy → choose → administration
“Ukraine needs steady support, above all in defending our skies.
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Ukraine → need → skies
We need HONESTY from our partners about this war: It is important that everyone in America stand not with the aggressor, but with our efforts to protect lives, end this war, and guarantee security.”
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everyone → need → security
Trump suddenly declared an “energy ceasefire” last week, writing on TruthSocial: “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine.
asserted
Trump → declare → Russia
Both parties have agreed.
asserted
parties → agree → ?
Despite Trump’s claims, however, Russia continued to launch heavy strikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, using hypersonic and ballistic missiles to target key Ukrainian power plants, leaving cities including Kyiv without power and water for hours.
uncertain
Russia → continue → hours
Ukraine said it would not strike Russian oil refineries in the interim in order to show that it was ready for negotiations.
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it → say → negotiations
But the White House piled pressure on Zelenskyy to capitulate to Russia by threatening to cut programmes to deliver arms to Ukraine and to stop sharing US battlefield intelligence with Ukraine.
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House → pile → Ukraine
The US appeared to make good on some threats.
asserted
US → appear → threats
Ukraine said it had not received advance warning from Washington of Russian missile strikes for several days this week.
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it → say → days
And on Wednesday, Ukrainian soldiers also complained that their access to Starshield programmes controlled by the US military had been restricted, scuppering drone missions on the frontlines.
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access → complain → frontlines
The feud between Zelenskyy and Trump has spun out of control over the last week.
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feud → spin → week
Trump, who believes that his support for Ukraine should come with a degree of control over the country’s leadership, has said that Ukraine should “get a new president”.
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Ukraine → believe → president
Asked on Thursday by Piers Morgan whether he felt betrayed, Zelenskyy said yes.
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Zelenskyy → ask → Morgan
“It’s a pity that we are losing, we are losing a strong partner,” he said.
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he → ’ → partner
Musk, the powerful head of SpaceX, which produces the Starlink terminals used by Ukraine’s military, has emerged as a top critic of Zelenskyy in the US.
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which → produce → US
On Thursday, Musk denied throttling the Starlink systems and said they were controlled by the US government.
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they → deny → government
But in a social media post commenting on a Zelenskyy statement that Ukraine would continue to fight until Russia’s defeat, he wrote: “And so the slaughter continues …
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slaughter → comment → defeat
Zelensky to go.”
asserted
Zelensky → go → ?
The Aporia
