Zelensky Defies Trump, Renews Russian Energy Strikes Amid Bitter Clash with Washington and Musk

​KYIV — President Volodymyr Zelensky has cast aside a brief US-brokered moratorium, declaring that Ukraine’s self-imposed restraint is over after launching a wave of drone and missile strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. The aggressive pushback follows what Kyiv views as a profound diplomatic betrayal by the White House.

​The renewed offensive saw explosions light up a major oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region, alongside an overnight strike on a Voronezh airbase and a persistent fire at a fuel terminal in Rostov-on-Don. These actions shatter an unofficial three-day “energy truce” demanded by US President Donald Trump, who had previously insisted that Kyiv halt its targeting of Russian refineries to help stabilize global fuel prices.

​Tensions boiled over following Washington’s sudden announcement of a diesel agreement with Moscow, which permits millions of barrels of Russian oil products to re-enter international markets. Speaking to international media, a visibly frustrated Zelensky did not mince words when asked if he felt betrayed by the American leader.

​”Really, yes. It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side,” Zelensky remarked, criticizing the direction of current US foreign policy as out of step with history. “The block on attacking refineries is out. We’re done.”

​The diplomatic rift has been further exacerbated by sudden, unexplained disruptions to high-speed military satellite communications. Ukrainian frontline units reported critical failures across specialized Starlink and Starshield networks—systems vital for drone coordination and battlefield operations. Ukrainian officials warned that the unannounced restrictions directly endangered military missions while relentless Russian aerial bombardments left hundreds of thousands without power across Kyiv, Rivne, and Odesa.

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​Tech billionaire Elon Musk distanced SpaceX from the communication outages, stating that operational limits and speeds for military setups are governed strictly by the US military and the White House. Weighing heavily into the political storm on social media, Musk condemned the ongoing hostilities and bluntly declared, “And so the slaughter continues. Time for Zelensky to go.”

​With Washington pushing for a negotiated settlement and prioritizing domestic economic pressures ahead of upcoming midterms, Kyiv’s defiance signals an escalating gamble. Zelensky remains resolute that yielding to external energy constraints only emboldens Moscow, even as the foundation of Ukraine’s vital Western alliance faces its most severe strain since the war began.