Russia struck a thermal power plant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv just hours after US President Donald Trump announced that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to an “energy ceasefire”, according to Ukrainian officials — casting immediate doubt on whether the truce Trump claimed had taken effect at all.
Announcing the supposed ceasefire on social media on Sunday, Trump said both Russia and Ukraine had agreed and that it would immediately come into effect. “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote.
FAKTA
- Trump’s claim: On Sunday, 11 October, Donald Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, effective immediately, via social media
- The strikes: Hours later, Kharkiv’s CHP-5 thermal power plant was struck at least twice and set on fire; a power station in Kyiv was also hit by a drone, causing outages in several districts
- Casualties: Ukrainian officials said three people were killed when a missile struck a grocery store in Kharkiv, while three service personnel died in a drone attack in Ivano-Frankivsk
- Zelensky’s response: Ukraine’s president said the announcement was news to him but that Ukraine was ready to honour a ceasefire if Russia did the same
- Moscow: Russia has not commented on Trump’s announcement
Kharkiv power plant hit twice
A local official told ABC News that the CHP-5 thermal power plant in Kharkiv was struck at least twice, causing a fire. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed in a statement that Russia had attacked the plant, as well as another in Kyiv, saying the attacks had taken place after Trump’s announcement.
“Unfortunately, Russian Shaheds were in the sky throughout the day today. Shaheds are still in the sky now,” Zelensky said in a statement posted on Telegram, referring to Russia’s Iranian-designed attack drones.
“There were strikes on our energy infrastructure. There has just been a strike on CHP-5 in the city of Kharkiv.”
Zelensky said more than 200 strikes had targeted electricity generation and transmission assets over the past week alone.
Zelensky: Ukraine will honour a real truce
Zelensky expressed surprise at Trump’s announcement, learning about it through social media rather than official channels, according to Ukrainian officials. But he said Ukraine supported de-escalation.
“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side,” Zelensky said in a statement posted on Telegram.
“Ukraine has proposed many de-escalation steps. Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia wants it,” he added in his evening address.
Ukraine had previously indicated it was prepared to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries if Russia ceased attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Zelensky said Ukraine’s armed forces had received the relevant orders following Trump’s announcement and would hold off refinery strikes pending clarity.
Allies back Kyiv, Moscow silent
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she “fully supported” the call for a “ceasefire that protects global food supplies and energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia.” UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his country “strongly supports President Trump’s call for a sustained energy ceasefire to start now,” and that Kyiv was ready to honour it “if Russia stops its attacks.”
Russia did not issue an immediate response to Trump’s announcement. The episode comes as observers note a familiar pattern: Trump announcing deals before they are confirmed, while previous ceasefire efforts have proved difficult to solidify.
More on the war is available in Watan News’ Europe section.
