Russia Says Ukraine Struck a Refinery Hours After the Block Lifted
Moscow says Kyiv attempted a large-scale attack on a refinery south of the capital early today, with four missiles and dozens of drones intercepted and falling debris starting a fire at Ryazan. It follows Volodymyr Zelensky’s declaration that his three-day pause on energy strikes was over: “We’re done.” Vladimir Putin said the attacks had caused no significant damage.
The satellite dispute has eased without being resolved. Starshield’s “operation while on the move” has been restored, but it is not clear whether the speed cap that disabled drones travelling above 100mph has been fully lifted, and officials say they are still working to establish “the reasons and circumstances” behind it. Mr Putin claims Kyiv also tried to hit refineries on Wednesday, which Ukraine denies. The Kremlin never said it had accepted the energy ceasefire announced on Sunday, and Mr Zelensky says dozens of Ukrainian cities were attacked in the past day. Europe is hardening rather than softening: Italy’s defence minister Guido Crosetto told the BBC that an American move to restrict intelligence sharing would be a “complete mistake” because “it is a fundamental form of support. This means denying a country any chance of defending itself.” His reading of the war is the one to watch: “Peace will be achieved when Putin will be convinced that there is a stalemate… But if he sees a weakness on the Ukrainian front, if the United States takes its resources away, then Putin will” press on.