Ukraine 'pauses' strikes on Russian oil refineries after Trump pressure, with the halt expected to last until after the US midterms
A fireball and black smoke rise from the Yanos refinery near Yaroslavl during a Ukrainian drone strike in September, as Kyiv has since suspended its refinery campaign after US envoy Jared Kushner pressed Volodymyr…
Ukraine's military quietly instructed its long-range strike units in mid-October to stand down from attacking Russian oil refineries once missions already airborne were completed, with the unofficial halt expected to hold until at least the November 3 US midterm elections and possibly deeper into November. The pause follows a "very tough" meeting in Oslo on October 20 where envoy Jared Kushner told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that a 30-day halt would demonstrate Ukraine's gratitude for Washington's mediation efforts with Moscow.
Russia killed at least 14 people in a drone strike on a crowded railway platform in Dnipro on Thursday, with at least 20 dead across Ukraine from the broader wave of attacks.
Zelenskyy publicly denied any formal order, telling reporters: 'Our guys tried to be a little more careful these days — but they have no order not to attack oil refineries.'
Kyiv sought Patriot missiles or a mutual halt to Russian energy strikes in return, but neither proposal was accepted by Washington.
