Russia struck Ukrainian energy and oil and gas facilities 76 times after US President Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 18, 2026.
“Trying to cause a blackout”
“Tens of thousands of families are without power,” Zelenskyy said. “The Russians are trying to cause a blackout.” He said Ukraine would observe a comprehensive energy truce if Russia did the same; Ukrainian forces had paused strikes on Russian refineries for several days.
Ten regions hit
In an overnight attack on October 17, Russia targeted energy facilities in ten regions, including Vinnytsia, Odesa, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. Scheduled power cuts were introduced across much of the country. In Vinnytsia, a city of more than half a million people, residents lost electricity and then running water. Within hours of the US proposal, a strike had already hit Kharkiv’s largest thermal power plant.
No Russian commitment
Trump announced the ceasefire unilaterally on October 11 without specifying its scope. The Kremlin made no commitment and said on October 14 that the scope was unclear.
Pressure on Kyiv
Trump has not blamed Moscow for the violations. Instead, his administration pressed Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil facilities, according to the Kyiv Independent, threatening to cut intelligence sharing and military aid.
Sources
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