Ukrainian Refinery Strikes Pause After Trump Ceasefire Announcement

Oct. 12, 2026 Ukrainian service members launch a drone. REUTERS / Valentyn Ogirenko Ukrainian drone attacks appeared to spare Russian oil refineries overnight into Monday following a surprise announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that an “energy ceasefire” between the countries has taken immediate effect. Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted 151 Ukrainian drones over 10 Russian regions and annexed Crimea overnight. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 37 drones were destroyed as they approached the capital between Sunday evening and Monday morning. But unlike previous attacks, local authorities and independent media reported no new strikes on Russian oil refineries, which Ukraine has repeatedly targeted in recent months. “The Armed Forces of Ukraine have received all the appropriate orders,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address Sunday. Zelensky said Russian forces had struck a combined heat and power plant in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, that evening. A Ukrainian official said the attack took place after Trump’s ceasefire announcement. “Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia does,” Zelensky said, adding that Kyiv was awaiting details of talks between Washington and Moscow and expected President Vladimir Putin to honor Trump’s announcement. The Kremlin has not formally confirmed or denied agreeing to any ceasefire terms. Sources close to the Russian government told Bloomberg that Moscow remains skeptical that Washington can deliver a binding deal on terms favorable to Russia. Russian attacks on other targets continued Monday, with the Defense Ministry saying its forces struck a cargo vessel carrying military supplies near the Ukrainian port of Odesa. Local officials said Russian shelling and air attacks injured at least 12 people in Kharkiv that morning. In Russia’s southern Rostov region, firefighters continued battling a blaze at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery following a drone attack Saturday, the exiled news outlet Astra reported. Authorities in the southwestern Belgorod region said one civilian was killed and three others were injured Sunday evening. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Ukraine war , Drones Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Gazprom to Form Military Reserve Units to Guard Energy Infrastructure From Drone Attacks Rather than relying solely on regular military forces, authorities have increasingly turned to regional volunteer units and reserve formations to bolster... 2 Min read Russian Rail Strikes Kill 1, Wound Dozens as Attacks Intensify Near Ukraine’s Front Russia launched drones at two passenger trains in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region on Saturday, killing one person and wounding dozens. 2 Min read Ukrainian Drone Strike Sparks Fire at Industrial Plant in Krasnodar Several pro-war bloggers and Telegram news channels identified the facility as EuroChem-Belorechensky Mineral Fertilizers, a major producer of chemical... 1 Min read Ukrainian Drone Attack on Novorossiysk Port Kills At Least 2 Residential buildings, a hotel and the office of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium were among the buildings damaged in the afternoon air strikes. 1 Min read