Trump's agreement with Putin ignites the war: Ukraine attacks Russian oil and Moscow bombs civilians in Zaporizhzhia

BarcelonaUkraine intensifies its offensive against the Russian oil industry and Moscow increases attacks against civilians. The agreement announced by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for Moscow to immediately deliver 300,000 tons of diesel to the North American country has had a direct impact on the conflict this Saturday. A few hours after Trump's announcement, Kyiv attacked the Novoshakhtinsk oil facilities with drones during the early hours, which supply the Russian army with fuel for its offensive in the Donbas region. And in its intensification of attacks against civilians, Russia has bombed apartment blocks in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.

The Ukrainian attack on the Russian oil terminal has caused a large fire at the facilities and left six people wounded. According to the provincial governor, Yuri Slyusar, Russia shot down more than 100 drones during the attack, but some managed to overcome Russian defenses. The Ukrainian attack also caused damage to a railway bridge and several surrounding buildings and houses.

In recent months, Ukraine has deployed an intense offensive against Russian energy infrastructure, despite warnings from the United States to stop doing so. Now, the agreement between Trump and Putin, which seeks to lower prices, has increased Kyiv's unease, which considers it "unfair" and "unbecoming of an ally," as stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Furthermore, it puts the talks for a possible end or ceasefire to the conflict at a difficult starting point. While Trump was announcing the pact with Putin, Ukrainian negotiators were beginning the first of the days of talks to try to reach a proposal to stop the attacks, even if only momentarily. In fact, one of the main objectives of the negotiators was to stop the attacks on energy infrastructure. All this, just a few hours before the drone attack on the oil terminal.

Attack in Zaporizhzhia

While Ukraine maintains energy infrastructure as a target of attacks, Moscow launched air strikes this Saturday against the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. The bombs have caused at least 15 deaths, three of whom are children. According to Ukrainian authorities, Russia targeted residential neighborhoods of the city with five bombs. Two explosives impacted residential buildings and emergency services have rescued some people from the rubble.

Zelensky has directly linked the attack to "the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports". "Today Russia expressed its gratitude for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia," he remarked ironically. The attack also caused damage to residential buildings and railway infrastructure.

The bombing comes on the same day that the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, controlled by Russia since 2022, has reported that it is suffering from a lack of diesel supplies for the electric generators -indispensable for guaranteeing its operation- due to attacks by the Ukrainian army.

"The logistics situation is very complicated. Access roads remain under bombardment and drone attacks. The transport and personnel that guarantee the transfer of the necessary loads are threatened," said the press chief of the nuclear power plant, Yevgeniya Yashina.

Russia has also attacked Kyiv, where Russian missiles have caused a widespread blackout. The Ukrainian capital has been suffering from electricity and water cuts for days due to Russian attacks, as well as in rail service.