The attacks, reported on Friday, October 16, damaged homes and other civilian infrastructure, according to Ukrainian officials, while Russia continued its aerial campaign against the country’s energy facilities.
The strikes come amid worsening relations between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, raising concerns that strained ties with Washington could leave Kyiv more vulnerable to further Russian attacks.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure ahead of winter, threatening electricity, heating and water supplies relied upon by civilians during the cold months. Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow is stockpiling ballistic missiles for further attacks.
However, the campaign against energy infrastructure has also involved Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities. Kyiv has targeted Russian refineries and other energy assets, arguing that they help finance and sustain Moscow’s war effort.
Ukraine struck a refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region on Thursday, October 15, after announcing that it would no longer observe a brief suspension of attacks on energy targets, saying Russia had failed to respect the arrangement.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, said the terms of an energy truce had not been agreed upon. Trump had called for both sides to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.
Zelenskyy calls for support as tensions with Trump grow
Zelenskyy attended a European Union summit in Brussels on Friday, where leaders pledged continued support for Ukraine and urged Washington to maintain pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted to end the war but had seen no indication that Moscow was ready to stop its military campaign.
“We want to end this war as quickly as possible. We do not see signals from the Russian side that they are ready for this, to end this war. That’s why we have to prepare for the winter,” Zelenskyy said.
His remarks came as tensions with Trump intensified following public criticism from the US president, who said he did not consider Zelenskyy a good person for the United States to deal with.
Zelenskyy also raised concerns about disruptions to military satellite communications and Ukraine’s difficulties obtaining US-made Patriot air defence missiles, which are needed to intercept Russian ballistic missile attacks.
The Ukrainian leader criticised Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, saying it could undermine international efforts to isolate Moscow over its invasion.
He also appealed to Americans who support Ukraine, saying: “There are so many people with good hearts in America who sincerely want evil to lose and Ukraine to stand strong. And at the end of the day, the American people will have their say.”
Europe pledges continued assistance
European leaders expressed concern over the deterioration in relations between Kyiv and Washington and called for continued support for Ukraine.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc was struggling to persuade the United States to take a tougher approach towards Moscow.
“We are also trying to convince our American partners that if we want to end this war, then we have to squeeze the aggressor,” Kallas said. “With our American allies it’s very difficult at the moment.”
Zelenskyy told European leaders that Ukraine’s war effort would cost about 155 billion euros, equivalent to $174 billion, next year, and that Kyiv would need at least 70 billion euros, or approximately $79 billion, in European assistance.
Meanwhile, Putin instructed Russia’s military to continue its aerial campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Russian military chief Valery Gerasimov told Putin that attacks on energy facilities, bridges, railways and data centres would continue.
Civilian casualties rise sharply
The latest attacks come amid a sharp increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine.
According to a report by the United Nations human rights office in Ukraine, at least 328 civilians were killed and 2,105 injured in September. The total represented an 85 per cent increase in casualties compared with September last year.
Danielle Bell, head of the UN human rights office in Ukraine, said the recent attacks had taken a heavy toll on civilians.
“The first two weeks of October were among the deadliest periods for civilians in years,” Bell said.
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