In an interview with the Financial Times published Oct. 15, acting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine would resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, railing against a “dangerous” withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and a simultaneous slowdown of Starlink satellite service amid intense Russian attacks.
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,” Zelensky said. He said Ukraine had paused energy strikes for three days at Washington’s request, while Moscow kept pounding Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
The same day, Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said Ukrainian drones had set fire to a Rosneft refinery in the province, which a Ukrainian official told the FT was retaliation for Moscow’s energy strikes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, downplayed Zelensky’s announcement, saying Ukraine had never actually paused its strikes over the recent days. He referenced the statement by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on Oct. 14 to this effect, saying that “strikes on our refineries and energy sector facilities continued during those days.”
Zelensky went on to discuss the slowdown of Starlink, leaving Ukraine without U.S. early warning of incoming ballistic missiles and hampering frontline operations. He said the Americans had told Ukrainian officials, “If you will not stop [the energy strikes], we will block intelligence.” Even though the cutoff was later presented to Kiev as a technical glitch, Zelensky rejected the excuse, saying, “It was not a technical problem, it was the will.”
Reuters reported on Oct. 15 that the order came from inside the White House, citing two U.S. officials and a Western official. Another U.S. official told Reuters that no such request was made by the president, and Trump himself has denied that Washington cut off intelligence sharing. However, Starlink’s owner, Elon Musk, posted on X late on Oct. 14 that Starshield, the military-grade network built on Starlink technology, is “owned and controlled by the US government,” adding: “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”
Zelensky’s office told the FT that Starlink service had since been restored and speed limits lifted.
Asked whether Ukraine would halt energy strikes unilaterally to mend relations with Washington, Zelensky said he could agree only if given more U.S.-made Patriot interceptors, the “minimum” he asked for. When he had asked the U.S. for this, he said, the American response was to weaken Starlink.
Dmitry Peskov stressed that the U.S. is trying to reach a peaceful settlement. “The Kiev regime continues to carry out strikes against these [energy] facilities, thereby undoubtedly coming into serious conflict with the peace efforts of the United States and American negotiators, who are indeed making very vigorous efforts to somehow move the peace process forward,” Peskov said, reported TASS.
