Russia and Ukraine have not reached a formal agreement to end strikes on energy infrastructure. This comes after US President Donald Trump announced on October 11 that the two sides had agreed to an immediate “energy truce“.
On the night of October 11-12, Russian forces struck a combined heat and power plant west of Kharkiv, gas infrastructure in Kharkiv region, and an oil depot in Sarny, Rivne region. The information was stated in an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War, which cited confirmation from Russian and Ukrainian sources.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that on October 12 alone, Russian forces struck six Ukrainian energy facilities. According to him, the Ukrainian army did not strike Russian energy infrastructure that night.
He linked the possible cessation of attacks to reciprocity from Moscow and a formally concluded agreement. Earlier, the Ukrainian president said that Kiev was ready to refrain from strikes on Russian refineries and other energy facilities if Russia stopped attacks on the Ukrainian energy system.
Washington talks about a potential deal
Trump's announcement caused a discrepancy between the American position and the public statements of Kiev and Moscow. A White House official, quoted by Axios, clarified that this was a “potential deal“, not a deal already reached or a ceasefire established.
This explanation shows that as of October 12, there was no confirmed agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky said that Kiev was waiting for details from the US side, and after the subsequent Russian strikes, he said that there was no indication that Moscow would fulfill the terms of the proposed ceasefire.
Moscow rejects broader ceasefire
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Zelensky was trying to provide a pause to rebuild the Ukrainian army. Lavrov said that he did not believe the Ukrainian president “deserved a break” of the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was not interested in Zelensky's proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that would allow Ukraine to organize and hold elections. He said Vladimir Putin could order a one-day halt to strikes to hold elections, but the Kremlin continues to reject a longer truce.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia's public stance shows that the Kremlin is not inclined to compromise and continues to pursue the goal of complete victory in Ukraine. As of October 12, no date for new negotiations or a mechanism to monitor a possible energy truce had been announced.
Sources: news.bg, axios.com, apnews.com