Russia strikes power plant in Ukraine after Trump announces energy ceasefire
Russian strikes hit Ukrainian power facilities after ceasefire announcement
Tyunews.com – Russian forces struck a thermal power plant in Kharkiv and another energy facility in Kyiv on Sunday, Ukrainian officials said, shortly after President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on energy targets.
The attack on Kharkiv’s CHP-5 thermal power plant involved at least two strikes and started a fire, a local official said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later confirmed that the Kharkiv facility and a plant in Kyiv had been targeted after Trump’s public declaration of an immediate “energy ceasefire.”
The reported strikes raised immediate questions about whether the proposed pause had been formally communicated to both governments and whether it had begun in practice. Russia had not issued public comments on the announcement or the attacks at the time of Zelenskyy’s statement.
Trump declares an immediate halt to energy attacks
Trump announced the proposed agreement in a social-media post, saying both countries had accepted a ceasefire focused on energy infrastructure and that it was effective immediately.
“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!”
Ukraine’s leadership, however, indicated that it had not received advance notice of the announcement. A senior official in the presidential office said Zelenskyy learned of it through social media, leaving Kyiv surprised by the timing and details of the proposed arrangement.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was nevertheless prepared to accept an energy-focused halt at once if Russia agreed to the same terms. The proposal would center on stopping attacks against the systems that supply power and fuel, an area of the conflict with direct consequences for civilians and daily life.
Ukraine links its position to Russian attacks on power infrastructure
Earlier on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted an immediate arrangement under which it would stop striking Russian oil refineries if Moscow stopped attacking Ukrainian electricity infrastructure. His position connected the two sides’ energy-related operations to a broader effort at reducing escalation.
Ukraine has repeatedly faced damage to facilities that generate, transmit or distribute electricity during the war. Such attacks can affect homes, hospitals, businesses, heating systems and essential services, particularly when damaged equipment requires time and specialized work to repair.
For Ukraine, a pause in attacks on energy sites could provide some relief from the pressure placed on its power network. Yet the strikes reported in Kharkiv and Kyiv underscored the uncertainty surrounding any agreement that has not been clearly implemented and observed by both sides.
“Ukraine is ready not to strike at Russian energy, and we are counting on Russia’s similar readiness,” Zelenskyy said.
He said Ukraine had put forward numerous measures intended to lower tensions and repeated that Kyiv wanted peace.
“Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia wants it.”
Kharkiv remains exposed to attacks
The strike on CHP-5 came as Kharkiv continued to endure the effects of the war near Ukraine’s eastern border. On October 11, 2026, a Russian guided aerial bomb attack in the city killed one person and wounded eight others, leaving homes damaged and residents navigating the ruins.
Energy facilities are especially consequential targets because their impact can extend beyond the immediate site. A fire at a power plant may disrupt operations, threaten nearby infrastructure and require emergency crews to work in dangerous conditions. Damage in major cities such as Kharkiv or Kyiv can also deepen public concern over the reliability of basic services.
The competing statements on Sunday did not settle whether a durable energy ceasefire had been agreed through direct communication, what targets would be covered, or how alleged violations would be addressed. Those details are critical in any limited truce, particularly when military operations are continuing and each side may interpret the terms differently.
For now, Ukraine has publicly stated that it is willing to restrain attacks on Russian energy assets if Russia halts strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure. The reported attacks after Trump’s announcement have made the next steps more difficult, while also highlighting the urgency of a clear and enforceable understanding.
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