Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery 300 kilometres southeast of Moscow on Thursday, setting the 300‑metre‑wide facility ablaze as drones circled the concrete stacks. The Russian defence ministry and Ryazan governor Pavel Malkov confirmed the fire, and the state‑run Astra outlet posted a photo of the blaze. The strike punctures a brief truce that Kyiv had agreed to after Washington urged a halt to energy‑related attacks.
Zelenskyy, in a televised address, said he felt betrayed by Donald Trump, who had called on both sides to stop such assaults. He accused Moscow of defying the truce and added that Ukraine had been denied routine Western intelligence on Russian missile raids and faced limits on U.S. Starlink terminals – assets vital for battlefield communications. “We’re done,” he declared, vowing to resume refinery strikes.
Zelenskyy flew to Brussels for a two‑day summit, meeting NATO chief Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, and prime ministers of Poland, Denmark and Belgium. The Ukrainian leader pressed the EU for continued military aid amid growing doubts that the Trump administration might pull back support. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the claim that Ukraine had halted refinery attacks, insisting Kyiv remained “active” against Russian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, three civilians were killed and six injured in a 10‑hour Russian drone raid on the Kirovohrad region, underscoring the war’s toll. The next day, Ukraine will press EU leaders for a renewed security package, while Washington watches closely. The outcome of the Brussels talks could determine the level of U.S. assistance moving forward.