Hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin assured US President Donald Trump that attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities would be halted, both Russia and Ukraine launched fresh strikes, targeting each other’s infrastructure.
The escalation further deepens the ongoing war, despite diplomatic efforts to secure a broader ceasefire.
Putin spoke with Trump on Tuesday, offering a temporary pause in strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid. However, he refused to agree to a full ceasefire, insisting that any such deal would require Ukraine’s allies to stop supplying military aid. This condition has been repeatedly rejected by Kyiv’s Western supporters, leaving little hope for immediate de-escalation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of continuing its assault, stating that hospitals and power facilities were among the latest targets. He reported that over 40 Russian drones had been launched overnight, causing widespread destruction. A hospital in Sumy was among the locations hit, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Meanwhile, Russia also faced attacks, with officials in Krasnodar confirming that a Ukrainian drone strike ignited a fire at an oil depot. Moscow’s defense ministry claimed to have intercepted 57 Ukrainian drones, with 35 targeting the border region of Kursk. The governor of Belgorod, another Russian border region, described the situation as “difficult” after Ukrainian forces reportedly attempted a ground assault, though Russian troops claimed to have repelled the attack.
The ongoing cycle of strikes and counterstrikes highlights the fragile state of negotiations. Despite Trump’s efforts to broker peace, Putin’s insistence on halting Western support for Ukraine as a prerequisite for a ceasefire has kept diplomatic progress at a standstill.
Talks involving US and Ukrainian officials are set to continue in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, as international efforts persist to find a resolution to the war. However, with Ukraine’s energy grid severely damaged and both sides escalating their military campaigns, a lasting ceasefire remains uncertain.